The story of Brighton loanee Abdallah Sima last season really summed up Rangers’ campaign.
Signed with much optimism, the Senegalese forward almost single-handedly ambled Rangers to the midway point of the season netting 15 goals for the club.
But as Philippe Clement’s appointment brought fresh optimism, the striker was struck down by a devastating injury whilst on AFCON duty.
Rangers’ run of injuries has hamstrung the club for years and if you’re looking for irony from a season which promised so much but delivered so little, you’ll probably find most of it in the case of Abdallah Sima.
Now, Rangers are eager to bring the 23-year-old back to Ibrox on a more permanent basis with Brighton initially said to be open to negotiating a switch.
But one major hold up to any prospective deal has now been settled as the Seagulls undergo a managerial overhaul ahead of next season.
Brighton appoint new manager
Rangers’ hopes of negotiating a quickfire deal for Abdallah Sima were dashed when Brighton sacked Italian manager Roberto de Zerbi.
Any incoming manager will likely want the chance to assess his options before sanctioning deals in and out of the club and the situation has delayed Rangers’ pursuit.
The Ibrox club have been clear that they would like Sima back in Glasgow in whatever capacity that might be.
The ex-Slavia Prague forward has also been clear that he sees his future north of the border.
Now, Rangers fans who are hoping to see the club strike a cost effective deal for the versatile attacker have been boosted by the arrival of a new manager on the south coast.
In a bold appointment, Brighton have announced 31-year-old St Pauli manager Fabian Hurzeler as their new boss.
Hurzeler – who has become the youngest ever full-time manager of a Premier League club in the process – was branded the ‘standout candidate’ by Brighton chairman Tony Bloom.
Rangers lead Sima transfer hunt
Whilst the appointment of German manager Fabian Hurzeler isn’t a breakthrough moment in Rangers’ pursuit of Abdallah Sima, it is a crucial one.
The young German coach might still want to assess his options before sanctioning any transfers but the fact Brighton now have a manager in place before the new season is important.
With football clubs up and down the country set to return to first-team training in the coming weeks – Rangers themselves return on 24th June – we expect more transfer movement to happen soon.
In what has been a slow start to the transfer window, the international tournaments another obstacle to deals getting done, Rangers have a big job on their hands in the weeks ahead.
Getting deals done early is crucial and as Hurzeler gets his feet under the desk at Brighton, we expect a definitive answer over Abdallah Sima sooner rather than later.
With Champions League qualifiers and crucial Scottish Premiership clashes just weeks away, Rangers aren’t ones to be messed around this transfer window.
