How Rangers could already have own version of £40m Newcastle cult hero Joelinton

The striker has been under relentless pressure ever since his reported £4.5m move from Cremonese in the summer and by and large has failed to live up to expectations. In fact, Rangers’ revamped frontline as a whole has struggled with the weight of the Rangers jersey and between a lack of form and injury issues the club’s forward problems have at times been desperate.

As a result of injuries to Danilo and Kemar Roofe, Rangers have had no choice but to persevere with Cyriel Dessers amid a tough festive run-in. Cyriel Dessers registers Kilmarnock assist Despite currying some favour with fans in recent weeks, that goodwill somewhat evaporated when the striker fluffed his lines after breaking through on goal at Celtic Park. In a visual representation of his time in Glasgow, Dessers burst through the Celtic defence with early promise before failing to take the big moment.

Philippe Clement has defended the striker but for Cyriel Dessers, it was tough moment to take. For Rangers fans used to their side’s inability to finish against Celtic, it felt like Groundhog Day. In fairness to the clearly confidence-stricken striker, he dusted down the disappointment to return to action in the win over Kilmarnock. But whilst the hitman failed to hit the target ahead of the Scottish Premiership going on a winter break, yet another impressive assist might point to a changing role in the squad.

Despite failing to hit the back of the net against Kilmarnock, Cyriel Dessers spun a stunning assist – his third in the league this season – on a plate for Ross McCausland to score an important opener. Newcastle United fans had a similar issue when the club splashed out a then club-record £40m to sign Brazilian “striker” Joelinton from Hoffenheim.

Very much a player in the Dessers mould, the bruising hitman was supposed to be the Toon Army’s focal point but the goals never came and the pressure began to build. But fast forward a few seasons and suddenly the striker has been reimagined as a box-to-box midfielder, with his relentless work ethic, physicality, neat forward play and (occasional) eye for goal seemingly perfectly suited to the middle of St James’ Park. Routinely described as a “cult hero” on Tyneside, Eddie Howe claimed in April the enthusiastic Brazilian was ‘worth his weight in gold’.

It has been a startling transformation. Now we’re not saying Cyriel Dessers necessarily has the all technical or physical attributes to go on to emulate Joelinton at Rangers. But the striker certainly can take some inspiration from the Brazilian hitman’s journey with the Magpies, the McCausland assist an insight into Dessers’ reading of the attacking side of the game. The striker also played a similar ball through for Rabbi Matondo to score against PSV Eindhoven at Ibrox.

It proves that the forward is much more than just a goalscorer but Dessers will remain a hard sell to Rangers fans so long as he continues to bottle the big moments in blue. But at the very least the story of Joelinton shows there could be redemption ahead if the hitman finds out how to contribute in his own way in Glasgow. It looks like the relentless Ibrox pressure might just be telling on one of Cyriel’s fellow summer signings too.

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