Glasgow Rangers are reportedly set to make a bid for striker Anastasios Douvikas as Michael Beale looks to continue his summer recruitment spree at Ibrox.
What’s the latest on Anastasios Douvikas to Rangers?
According to Greek news outlet Nova Sports, Rangers are getting ready to make a bid of around £7m for the striker with the report claiming that ‘Rangers is determined to submit an official proposal to Utrecht for the Greek centre-forward’ as Beale looks to add another forward to his ranks alongside recent signing Sam Lammers.
The Ibrox side have also been linked with a move for Cyriel Dessers, however, there hasn’t been any recent news regarding a potential move, with Cremonese reducing their demands from £6.5m to £5m and the Greek hitman could be an ideal alternative.
Could Rangers sign Anastasios Douvikas this summer?
There is no doubt more strikers are required at the Light Blues next term in order to push Celtic all the way for the Premiership title. Last season, the Gers scored 93 league goals, which is a fantastic total, yet it was still 21 shy of the 114 that Celtic scored, showcasing the need for more goals across the side.
Dessers enjoyed a decent enough season, scoring ten goals (six in Serie A), Douvikas on the other hand, managed to score 22 goals across all competitions, including 19 in the Eredivisie as he shared the top scorer award with Xavi Simons, underlining how impressive he was during 2022/2023.
Indeed, the “sharp” frontman – as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting – could well be an upgrade on Dessers ahead of next term as he registered more goal contributions (23 to 11), shots on target per 90 (1.47 to 1.14), shot-creating actions (49 to 44) and touches in the attacking penalty area (142 to 115) last term, suggesting that he manages to get more shots away, increasing his scoring chances.
Furthermore, the 27-year-old was a fare more influential figure in his team compared to Dessers, ranking in the top five for overall rating, shots on target per game (1.2), big chances created (seven) and successful dribbles per game (0.8) in his side, while the Cremonese striker finished outside the top 15 in his squad for overall rating.
Meanwhile, he also ranked fifth for shots on target per game (0.5), fourth for big chances created (two) and 11th for successful dribbles per game (0.5), more evidence that making a move for Douvikas could be a shrewd investment for Beale.
The fee could prove to be a stumbling block, yet in order to win silverware and shine on the European stage, money will need to be spent this summer and the 15-cap international could certainly bolster the squad, no doubt about it.
