Rangers transfers: Two Italy-based strikers linked, relegation for both, departing forward to land £1.4m per year

Rangers manager Michael Beale has promised an overhaul of his squad this summer and as a result, there have been a plethora of players linked with the Ibrox club over the past week.

The only bit of official news so far is the arrival of Norwich City midfielder Kieran Dowell last week, and a goalkeeper is expected to follow the Englishman through the door imminently. Jack Butland, who spent the season on loan at Manchester United, is widely expected to be the goalkeeper tasked by Beale to fill the gloves left by retiring Rangers legend Allan McGregor.

It is at the other end of the pitch, though, that Rangers need to do serious business. Alfredo Morelos, the club’s main striker for the best part of six years, has left upon expiry of his contract and Beale needs at least one No 9 to compete with Antonio Colak this season. Already linked with American internationalist Haji Wright earlier this month, two new names have emerged as potential targets for Rangers in Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers.

They have both plied their trade in Serie A this season. Lammers, a 26-year-old Dutchman, was farmed out by his parent club Atalanta to first Empoli and then Sampdoria. He suffered relegation with the Genoa-based club and only managed two goals across the two loan spells. Lammers, who joined Atalanta in a £9million deal from PSV in 2020, has two years to run on his contract but is not in the first-team picture under current La Dea boss Gian Piero Gasperini. Dessers, a 28-year-old Nigerian internationalist, spent the whole season at Cremonese and scored six times in 26 appearances. He is under contract next season but his future is up in the air after La Cremo finished second bottom in Italy’s top flight and will play in Serie B next term. The Daily Mail reports that both strikers are being monitored by Rangers.

Cyriel Dessers scored six times for Cremonese and suffered relegation.

Meanwhile, Turkish media report that Ryan Kent – who is a free agent after leaving Rangers – has “shaken hands” on a three-year contract with Istanbul-based Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce. Kent, 26, is believed to agreed a three-year deal and will be paid £1.4m per year during his stint in the Turkish top flight.