Imagine him & Diomande: Rangers pushing to sign £3m gem who could be the next Salah – opinion

Imagine him & Diomande: Rangers pushing to sign £3m gem who could be the next Salah – opinion

Glasgow Rangers are closing close on the acquisition of midfielder Mohammed Diomande,

who flew in to Glasgow today to complete his £4.5 million transfer to the Gers.

This will be Philippe Clement’s second January signing,

following the loan signing of Fabio Silva from Wolverhampton Wanderers,

and with only eight days before the deadline,

the Belgian manager will be aiming to bring in another player or two.

There is little doubt that the 49-year-old will want to improve his offensive options,

which might lead him to sign another winger or centre striker.

The long-term injury suffered by Abdallah Sima while on international duty has highlighted this necessity,

and the club has been linked with a number of players in recent weeks.

Rangers seek for new signings.

Clement has been busy over the winter break,

and the team has been linked with Vitesse Arnhem winger Million Manhoef.

TEAMtalk revealed earlier this month that the Gers were interested in bringing

the Dutchman to Glasgow during the January transfer window,

and that the sum might be about £3 million.

With news of Sima’s injury, however, a move for the kid must now be a priority,

especially as he can play on both sides,

and Clement may be tempted to make a concrete offer for the talented winger.

This opinion is clearly supported by Football Scotland,

which also believes that the loss of Sima should force Clement to work harder to recruit Manhoef,

despite the fact that no official approach has been made as of yet.

Could things change in the next seven days, though?

Especially if the Gers struggle in their games against Hibs tonight and St Mirren this weekend.

The manager will struggle to cope without Sima’s direct goalscoring threat,

and he will be compelled to play Rabbi Matondo on the left wing.

Abdallah Sima has been the Rangers’ top attacker this season.

When the Senegal international joined the club last summer on a

temporary transfer from Brighton and Hove Albion, his talent was clear,

but  it was clear he may need time to settle.

Fast-forward six months, however,

and Sima entered 2024 having scored 15 goals and grabbing two assists across 33 matches for the Light Blues,

thus ranking second among the squad for goals scored this term.

His effect has been tremendous, and not just in terms of goals;

he ranks first in the squad for successful dribbles per game (1.5) and second for total shots per game (three),

demonstrating his ability to be a bother in the opposition penalty area.

There is no timetable for his comeback, but his absence from the starting lineup is a

big setback for Clement and the rest of the first team,

especially as they want to complete a triple.

Although Manhoef is still developing, might he be a good fit to replace

Sima in the squad and strike the ground running if he moves to Glasgow this month?

The statistics explain why Million Manhoef can replace Abdallah Sima.

Predominantly a right-winger, the 22-year-old has played on the left side of the pitch 27 times in his young career,

scoring four goals and contributing four assists, which is not bad given it is not his preferred position.

With new recruit Diomande seeking to occupy the left hole in central midfield,

the Ivorian might work well with the young Dutchman to build a strong partnership.

 

Indeed, Diomande has averaged 1.1 key passes per game this season while also creating three big chances,

and according to analyst John Walker,

the young midfielder will “drive with the ball and break quickly”

when he wins it in the heart of the midfield, potentially allowing him to create opportunities for Manhoef.

Not only that, but he might also work well with the winger in the final third,

as he is known for breaking into the penalty box on late runs,

which could add another string to Clement’s offensive bow.

Manhoef may not be as prolific as Sima,

but he has scored four goals for a team that is bottom of the Eredivisie and

struggling to generate much throughout their games  this season.

Domestic statistics this season	Million Manhoef	Abdallah Sima
Goals	4	10
Assists	0	2
Key passes per game	1.4	1
Successful dribbles per game	2.5	1.5
Big chances created	1	2

Indeed, the winger has scored 31% of their goals this season, and if he can shine so brightly in a failing squad,

picture him with Diomande at Rangers.

Million Manhoef might be the Rangers’ own Mohamed Salah.

According to Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who profiled the winger last year,

Manhoef is a comparable type of player to Mohamed Salah,

implying that he may be Clement’s own version of the current Liverpool phenomenon.

According to WhoScored, Manhoef and Salah excel at finishing and making vital passes,

indicating that they are both clinical in front of goal

while also demonstrating their selflessness and creating big chances for their teammates.

Not only that, they both like to cut in frequently and this could allow

Clement to play the Dutchman on the left without having to worry about a drop in his performances,

especially as he would make regular inroads to the opposition penalty area

Of course, the 22-year-old has a long way to go before reaching Salah’s level,

which he has maintained since joining Liverpool in 2017, but the talent is apparent.

Signing Diomande for £4.5 million leaves Clement with little room for manoeuvre in terms of another pricey investment,

but if he can move a few players on in the next week or two, it may aid his cause.

Another attacker is needed before the deadline next Thursday, and Manhoef fits the bill wonderfully.

He is young, talented, and appears to have the potential to make an immediate impact for the Light Blues.

Clement has little time to act, and the second half of the season looks good it could be a risk worth taking.

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