Rangers Can Find Dream Dowell Partner In Swoop For £3.5m Gem

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale is already hard at work in an attempt to improve his playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Sporting director Ross Wilson departed to join Premier League side Nottingham Forest but this has not stopped the English head coach from going full steam ahead this summer.

Kieran Dowell and Dujon Sterling have both been announced as new signings and the pair will join on free transfers from Norwich and Chelsea respectively at the start of next month.

Following the departure of Alfredo Morelos at the end of May, as his contract with the Ibrox giants expired, Rangers are now in the market for a centre-forward and have been linked with a £3.5m swoop for Troyes ace Ike Ugbo.

What is Ike Ugbo’s style of play?

Ugbo is a powerful no.9 who is able to compete with opposition defenders and cause constant problems for them, whilst also being able to offer a threat in front of goal.

Journalist Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic claimed that the marksman’s hold-up play is “underrated” and that his ability in transition can “unlock space” if utilised correctly, which speaks to the dynamo’s strength on the ball and intelligence to find his teammates in counter-attacking situations.

The 24-year-old Canadian striker, who worked with Beale at Chelsea, could form an exciting partnership in the final third with new Gers attacking midfielder Kieran Dowell and the Light Blues boss must seal a swoop for his former player.

Ugbo has struggled since his move to Ligue 1 – with just seven goals in 40 appearances for Troyes – but has the potential to be a prolific scorer based on his time in Belgium and in Chelsea’s academy.

The Ligue 2-bound marksman plundered 25 goals in 49 matches for the Blues at U18 and U21 level combined and was able to translate that form to senior football with 16 strikes in 32 outings for Cercle Brugge in the Pro League in 20/21.

These statistics indicate that Beale could unearth a prolific scorer in Ugbo, in spite of his struggles in France, and pairing him with Dowell in attack could allow the ace to thrive.

In the Championship, the Englishman delivered 23 key passes and created six ‘big chances’ for his teammates in 14 starts for the Canaries.

The 25-year-old made 24 key passes and created five ‘big chances’ in 12 starts for Norwich in the second tier of English football in the 2020/21 campaign, which shows that the magician is capable of opening up opposition defences on a regular basis.

Ugbo could use his hold-up play to find Dowell, and the likes of Todd Cantwell and Fashion Sakala, in good positions in the final third and then make his way into the box to get on the end of their deliveries into the box.

The ex-Yellows star has proven his ability to create excellent chances week-in-week-out and his creativity could provide the Canadian international with the services he needs to get back to his Pro League and academy form.