Kemar Roofe is certain to leave Rangers this summer and won’t start ahead of Cyriel Dessers the rest of the way, says Andy Halliday.
Speaking live on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard on 15 April the former Ibrox midfielder named the Nigerian international as the best striker in Philippe Clement’s squad despite his habit of missing chances, and questioned whether the reputation of the oft-injured Roofe’s quality might be exaggerated.
The 31-year-old has been plagued by fitness issues during his time in Glasgow and with his contract set to expire this summer Halliday has no doubt he won’t be getting an extension.
The pundit said (36m 20s): “Dessers is going to play at the weekend, and then he’ll play the next week and the week after that, because to be honest he’s the best striker Rangers have got just now for me.”
Queried about Roofe he added: “For me yeah. Where’s the evidence that Kemar Roofe is as good as people make out that he is when he’s injured. Listen he’s done okay for Rangers, he’s done well at times, but what’s the most consecutive games that Roofe’s played? I don’t imagine it’s that many.”
Then asked if the forward will be leaving: “Oh yeah I don’t think there’s any doubt about it. Listen we knows there’s talent there but he’s obviously not been very fit and, I’m speculating here, but you imagine he’s on quite a big wage especially with the sum that Rangers paid to bring him in.
“But nah, I think Dessers is Rangers’ best striker at the moment and he’s going to continue to play.”
Rangers striking options short ahead of January transfer window?
Roofe is a good player and on pure finishing he is probably well ahead of Dessers, but his injury record means he could probably only hope to remain at Ibrox on a pay-as-you-play deal.
It is true that 10 Scottish Premiership goals in each of his first two campaigns with the club was a solid record considering he missed so many games, but the returns have been hugely diminished over the past two terms so a new deal seems fanciful, with a pair of injury-prone players tipped to depart.
With Danilo still out, Silva talented but seemingly more suited to coming in from wide, just as the returning Abdallah Sima is, then Dessers surely will start the majority of games from here on at least.
His tendency to be in the right positions but to squander chances has now been established as the cost of doing business with him, but it is difficult to say that is a clear alternative at this stage, so his reputation is bound to be tied to the club’s results, with his positive qualities highlighted as long as they win and his negative ones focused on when they don’t.
Roofe may be near-certain to leave but just one season into his stay in Scotland Dessers could easily remain as a second or third choice, assuming Clement is able to land the illusive number one goal scorer that has long been anticipated.
Many presume that will be Lawrence Shankland from Hearts, and if the Scotland international had been gettable in January it is tempting to imagine the title could have been won by now, but instead Rangers have now lost their margin of error if they are to recapture the league ahead of what promises to be another busy summer.
In other Rangers news, a £40million Ibrox transfer verdict has been issued by a club favourite as deals are now expected.
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