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Rumour Mills: Rangers stand firm on Cyriel Dessers as AEK Athens interest persists

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Rumour Mills: Rangers stand firm on Cyriel Dessers as AEK Athens interest persists

By Dayo Awoniyi

Rangers are holding their ground over the future of Cyriel Dessers, despite renewed interest from Greek side AEK Athens in the Nigerian international.

AEK have reportedly reached personal terms with the striker, offering an attractive €1.8 million annual salary — approximately £30,000 per week — but the transfer remains in limbo.

Rangers have made it clear they will not entertain offers below £5 million, having rejected AEK’s initial bid of around £3.8 million.

The Scottish Premiership club is also unwilling to green-light any move without first securing a suitable replacement up front. This strategic hesitation comes as AEK weigh up alternative options, including a possible deal for former Real Madrid striker Luka Jović — a development that could shift their focus away from Dessers entirely.

For now, Dessers appears content to stay at Ibrox. After registering a goal and an assist in Rangers’ 3-0 UEFA Champions League qualifying win over Viktoria Plzen, the 29-year-old seemed to suggest he isn’t going anywhere just yet. In a brief exchange with fans, he quipped: “Looks like I’m staying, eh? I’m here today.”

Former Rangers striker and coach Billy Dodds has urged caution, insisting the club would be unwise to part ways with a player he believes can contribute up to 28 goals a season.

As the transfer window ticks on, Rangers appear resolute — with Dessers remaining a key part of their European and domestic ambitions unless the right offer, and a replacement, are firmly in place.

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Samuel Ahmadu
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
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