Rangers-linked striker turns down chance to return to...

Rangers-linked striker turns down chance to return to

Rangers-linked striker turns down chance to return to return to Scottish Premiership in late transfer

blow

An injury setback to Rangers’ hopes of acquiring former Motherwell attacker Kevin van Veen has come

late in the transfer window.

Abdallah Sima, who recently suffered a major injury during training while playing for Senegal at the

Africa Cup of Nations, is leaving a hole that the Ibrox club is eager to fill with a striker in the last days of

the transfer season.

In his 20 Premiership games for Rangers, Sima has netted 10 goals, and under Philippe Clement, he has

been a major factor in the team’s recent success.

Although the precise duration of his ailment is yet unknown, manager Clement anticipates that he will

miss a “long period” of time due to the injury, which could endanger his team’s chances of winning the

championship.

Van Veen’s expertise playing Scottish football made him an excellent alternative for Sima in the eyes of

many supporters. The 32-year-old was one of the division’s best scorers last season after scoring 25

goals in 38 games at Motherwell.

His performance earned him a transfer to FC Groningen, a second-tier Dutch team. He has only

managed five goals in 14 games at his new club, though, as he has failed to have the expected impact.

There had been talk of Van Veen returning to the Premiership after his recent banishment and Rangers’

need for a striker. But according to rumors from Football Scotland, Vitesse, an Eredivisie team, is

expected to chase Van Veen once they sell Said Humulic, who is reportedly nearing a January transfer to

Lokomotiv Moscow.

Van Veen’s suitability for sale has been previously stated by Groningen, but only permanently. Rangers

is rumored to be among the Scottish teams interested in the striker, although they only seem to want

him on a short-term loan.

The sporting director of Groningen made the following statement regarding the future of the out-of-

favor forward: “If there is interest because Kevin is not playing, we will listen.” We’ll work with his exit if

another club makes a solid offer and the arrangement works well.”