Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin appears to be in a difficult position with his options at striker at Ibrox heading into next week’s transfer deadline.
After the 1-1 draw with St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership last time out, the Gers manager revealed that Hamza Igamane was unable to come off the bench to help the team.
Martin said: “He wouldn’t be on the bench if he’s not fit. So he said he’d done it warming up. We turned down a bid this week, but we’ll assess his injury and I have to trust Hamza so we’ll see what happens.”
The boss went on to speak about Cyriel Dessers’ situation, saying: “I think it happens in football, but I’ll go back to Cyriel (Dessers) again. He’s worked really hard to get fit, hasn’t quite been fit, he’ll probably be fit for Wednesday.
“So whilst he’s made it really clear what his intention would be or what his desire would be, there’s been no problem, none. He trains properly, performs with the team, been great, but everyone’s different.”
It has since been revealed that Lille have had an offer accepted for Igamane, who is now due to depart for £10.4m, which may explain recent links to Bojan Miovski.
Why Rangers are interested in Bojan Miovski
It was recently reported that the Gers are interested in a deal to sign the centre-forward from Girona on a season-long loan deal to bolster their squad.
Their interest in the Macedonia international could be connected to the interest in Dessers and Igamane from elsewhere ahead of next Monday’s transfer deadline, because an exit from Ibrox for either of them would leave the squad short in the striker department.
This is why the 26-year-old star arriving at Ibrox in the coming days could make a lot of sense for Rangers, because would slot into the centre-forward position and fill any hole that could be created by a departure for Igamane or Dessers, or both.
The Girona outcast is also be an attractive target for the Scottish Premiership giants because he is a proven performer in Scotland. During his two-year stint with Aberdeen, Miovski showed that he can score goals on a regular basis in the Scottish top-flight.
xG
15.60
17.08
xG on target
18.36
17.60
Goals
16
16
Shots on target
36
44
Chances created
27
23
Assists
2
2
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed marksman scored 32 goals in two league seasons with Aberdeen, who finished behind Rangers in both of those campaigns, and overperformed his xG when you take his xG on target into account.
These statistics show that he is almost guaranteed to be a reliable goalscorer for Rangers in the Premiership, because he has been there and done it in the division in two of the last three years.
However, on the flip side of it, a season-long loan deal for Miovski would only be delaying the need to sign a permanent replacement for Igamane or Dessers.
On top of that, the striker has only scored four goals in 25 matches for Giorna since the start of last season and would need to find his confidence in front of goal again, which may be a struggle in a Rangers team that is currently in a difficult place after three draws in three league games.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Rangers are one of a number of sides interested in a deal to sign Villarreal’s £4m-rated centre-forward Karl Etta Eyong to bolster their attacking options.
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It was also reported that the Gers were in talks with Villarreal over a potential permanent deal for the forward, although there has not been any recent updates on that, and he could be an even better signing than Miovski.
Why Rangers should sign Karl Etta Eyong
Whilst Miovski has the potential, given his form for Aberdeen in the past, to be an exceptional addition to the squad in his own right, Etta Eyong could be a better signing because of his recent form and the structure of the possible transfer.
Signing the Villarreal star, who is only 21, on a long-term deal as part of a permanent transfer could be a much better move for the club than a short-term loan for Miovski, because it could sort out the team’s striker problem for multiple seasons, rather than just one.
By signing Etta Eyong, if all goes well, the Gers would not have to invest millions in another new striker next summer. Whereas, Miovski going back to Girona, or going elsewhere, at the end of his loan would mean that the Light Blues would be back at square one and needing to find another forward.
The Villarreal starlet’s performances at youth and senior level in Spain in the last 12 months or so also suggest that he could hit the ground running with confidence behind him, which may not be the case for Miovski due to his struggles in Spain.
Minutes
90
90
Shots on target
1
2
Goals
1
0
Key passes
0
2
Assists
0
1
Pass accuracy
80%
80%
Possession lost
4x
8x
As you can see in the table above, Etta Eyong has made a strong start to the current LaLiga campaign with a goal and an assist in two matches, with the assist coming against Miovski’s Girona side.
Meanwhile, the Macedonia international did not register a shot or a key pass in 45 minutes against Rayo Vallecano before being left out of the squad for the defeat to Etta Eyong’s Villarreal, per Sofascore.
The £4m-rated star, who was described as a “powerful” striker by writer Kai Watson, also scored 18 goals, finishing 25% of his chances, in 29 starts in the Spanish third tier for Villarreal’s B team in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he can also score goals consistently when given regular game time.
Etta Eyong scored goals against Leeds and Arsenal in pre-season before starting the LaLiga campaign on fire for Villarreal, and all of these statistics suggest that he has the quality to be a quality operator up front for Rangers.
This is why Etta Eyong would be an even better signing than Miovski for the Gers, because he is in-form and currently playing better in the same league, and would arrive on a permanent basis instead of as a loan player.