Rangers could seal new signing in “next 24-48 hours”, he’s a dream Sima alternative – opinion

Rangers could seal new signing in “next 24-48 hours”, he’s a dream Sima alternative – opinion

Glasgow Rangers appear to have finally snapped into gear regarding January incomings in recent days.

Up until the beginning of last week, only Fabio Silva had joined the Gers during the winter window,

on loan until the conclusion of the season.

Seven days is a long period in any sport, let alone football, and the Light Blues appear to have been extremely busy.

Firstly, Mohammed Diomande was confirmed as Philippe Clement’s second signing of the window,

then Fabrizio Romano unexpectedly disclosed that Rangers had agreed to sign Brazilian left-back Jefte from Fluminense.

Clement appears to have strengthened his attacking options at Ibrox,

leading to the possibility of another acquisition.

Rangers seek for new signings.

Rangers Review journalist Chris Jack provided an update on the latest transfer rumors,

and it appears that the Gers are interested in signing Oscar Cortes,

a promising winger who now plays for Lens in Ligue 1.

He remarked on X: “Rangers are interested in signing Lens winger Oscar Cortes.

” The 20-year-old is likely to become Philippe Clement’s third signing of the window.

Reports that Cortes is already on his way to Glasgow are inaccurate.

This interest was backed up by the popular fan media station Heart and Hand,

who stated: “The interest in Oscar Cortes is genuine. Rangers hope to bring him in on loan in the next 24-48 hours.”

After three weeks of rumors and implausible transfers, two potential deals have emerged out of nowhere,

demonstrating that Clement and Nils Koppen are tapping into markets overlooked by previous regimes.

The trade could make sense for more than one reason,

as Cortes could be a perfect Sima replacement on the left wing in the second half of the season.

Why Rangers Need an Abdallah Sima Alternative

The on-loan Brighton and Hove Albion winger suffered a major thigh injury while practicing with the Senegal

national team during their Africa Cup of Nations campaign, and he will most likely be out for the foreseeable future.

This is a significant setback for Clement’s pursuit of more silverware,

as the 22-year-old is now his most consistent attacking threat across the front three.

Sima has 15 goals and two assists in his first 33 matches with the club,

and only James Tavernier has more goals this season (17) than the teenager,

demonstrating how significant his departure will be for the rest of the team.

Not only does the former Slavia Prague star rank second in the Premiership for goals and assists (12),

but he also ranks second in shots per game (three) and first in successful dribbles per match (1.5),

indicating that he has been one of Clement’s best attacking players since taking over last year.

Rabbi Matondo has deputised on the left wing since domestic football resumed after the winter break,

but adding someone like Cortes, who is extremely gifted and eager for regular game time,

might be a stroke of genius on the part of the Belgian coach.

Oscar Cortes’s tenure at Lens

The 20-year-old wonder arrived in France for a cost of roughly €4.5 million (£3.8 million) last summer,

after making his mark in Colombia  for Millonarios, yet his spell in Europe has not quite gone to plan so far.

Since his arrival, he has played only four matches for the club, scoring once and grabbing an assist,

yet he has been forced to play in a more advanced central position, which does not suit his strengths.

The teenager performs best out wide, and while being right-footed,

Cortes may be used on the left wing to cut in on a regular basis and provide a comparable goal-scoring threat to Sima.

Despite a paucity of playing time, he has demonstrated glimpses of his immense skill,

and it takes time for players to adjust to a new style of football.

Cortes starred in Colombia and had a fantastic U20 World Cup for his country,

and these performances should be the primary judge of his abilities.

Oscar Cortes’ style of play

In only 28 games for Millonarios, the winger scored seven goals and earned five assists,

which works out to a goal contribution per 2.3 matches, a respectable  return.

These efforts, paired with those in the aforementioned U20 World Cup, may have secured his move to Lens.

During that competition last year, Cortes scored four goals and registered two assists across just five games for Colombia,

and he ranked second out of everyone in the tournament in terms of average Sofascore rating (7.6),

as well as ranking fourth for goals and assists (six) and first for big chances created,

certainly showcasing his attacking talents to the full.

Oscar Cortes: U20 World Cup
Metric	Stat
Goals	4
Assists	2
Key passes per game	3.4
Big chances created	4
Successful dribbles per game	1.2
Stats via Sofascore

Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson conducted a thorough analysis of the player following the latest links,

and he praised his qualities, saying:

“You can tell by his goalscoring numbers that he’s a very accomplished finisher,

which is unusual for a winger of his age.

His poise on the ball and in front of goal might be valuable tools in Rangers’ title drive.”

These are the types of signings that Clement believes could help develop a proper player-trading model at Ibrox.

Far too often in the past, the club has recruited the wrong players in the expectation of perhaps rekindling old glories

(Aaron Ramsey comes to mind),

instead of luring young talent to Ibrox in the aim of nurturing them and making a solid profit.

Signing the 5’10” magician from Lens this month might give Clement the opportunity to bring a player who deserves

more time on the pitch to the club and allow him to thrive in his natural position.

If he does, the Gers may see Cortes terrorising opponent defences in the same way he did at the U20 World Cup,

which could be crucial in their title campaign.

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