Glasgow Rangers have shown plenty of improvement in recent weeks, which has eased the pressure on Philippe Clement.
At the end of November, it looked as though it was a matter of when, not if, he would be sacked from his position at Ibrox. Fast-forward a month later and the Gers have delivered some decent performances in both the Premiership and Europa League.
The Gers drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur, for example, taking the lead against the North Londoners, while coming so close to defending their League Cup trophy, losing on penalties to Celtic.
The next few games could make or break the Light Blues season. If they can win them all, then the gap to Celtic will close at the top of the league table. Could a title challenge be on the cards?
Several players have finally begun to showcase their true talents under the Belgian, including Hamza Igamane, who is now a key member of the squad.
Hamza Igamane’s Rangers stats
Eyebrows were raised during the summer when the Ibrox side spent £1.7m on signing Igamane from the African side AS FAR.
He was certainly a signing that looked like one for the future as Clement began to establish a player trading model at the club which could reap the benefits in the future.
Indeed, Igamane didn’t make an appearance for the Gers until a ten-minute cameo during the first Old Firm game of the season, enduring a baptism of fire in the process as the club slumped to a 3-0 defeat.
It has been in Europe where the young centre-forward has begun to prove just how important he is to Clement, scoring four goals in just four games for the club, including that wonderful effort against Spurs.
Across these four appearances, Igamane has also averaged 1.3 key passes and succeeded with 1.3 dribbles per game, indicating that he has been a major threat in Europe.
Even more impressive is the fact that Igamane is the highest-ranked player in the competition, according to FotMob with a rating of 8.18.
Recently, Everton sent scouts to monitor the player during the match against Spurs and if he keeps up these performances, especially on the continent, there will be plenty more suitors taking an interest, that’s for sure.
While it is inevitable that his future lies away from Ibrox, when the time comes, Rangers will be hoping to make a serious profit on the player. In recent weeks, his market valuation has risen.
Hamza Igamane’s market valuation
While £1.7m appeared to be a rather lavish fee for a player who had not played senior football outside of Africa before, this could soon turn into a bargain.
Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, Igamane has a current market value of £2m and this is only going to rise exponentially as time goes on.
Goals
4
2
Assists
1
0
Successful dribbles per game
1.3
0.9
Key passes per game
1.3
0.8
Shots per game
1.5
2.3
Imagine if he maintains his performance level until the end of the season. This value might end up skyrocketing which could allow Clement to cash in on the striker.
He isn’t the only player who has seen their valuation soar in recent weeks, however, as Nicolas Raskin has become one of the most valuable players in the first-team squad.
Market Movers
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The Rangers star who is worth more than Igamane
Michael Beale may have lasted just ten months at the helm of the Ibrox side, failing to win a trophy in the process, but he did sign Raskin for the club.
As the 2023 January transfer window was entering the dying embers, Beale was working hard to bring the then Standard Liege midfielder to Scotland in order to bolster his midfield.
In the end, he managed to secure his signature and during the second half of 2022/23, Raskin offered glimpses of his talents and it looked as though Beale had signed a player with a bright future indeed.
The 2023/24 campaign didn’t quite go to plan as Raskin suffered from a couple of injuries while failing to break into Clement’s starting XI as he preferred others at the heart of the midfield.
By the end of the season, his future at Ibrox was in doubt and when he suffered yet another injury setback during pre-season, it looked as though he was never going to live up to his full potential.
Six months later, the midfielder is arguably Rangers’ most consistent performer of late. In the Premiership, the Belgian gem has averaged a 90% pass success rate along with averaging 3.5 tackles per game and winning a staggering seven total duels per game – a success rate of 63% – which has enabled the midfielder to break down opposition attacks with ease.
His former boss at Standard, Luka Elsner, hailed Raskin during an interview with the Rangers Review, saying: “Nico is able to bring fire to a game by himself and always gives his best. For me, those are the qualities that stand out and make him some kind of special player.”
Nico Raskin’s market value in 2024
Due to his stunning displays for the Light Blues in recent weeks, his market value has increased as he is now worth more than twice the value of Igamane.
According to Transfermarkt, Raskin is now worth £5.4m and there is no doubt that this valuation will continue to rise between now and the end of the season, especially if he continues to impress.
Given how well Igamane has improved in the previous few weeks, having someone such as Raskin who is worth two times more proves that the club could certainly be onto a winner with the Belgian.
Clement now has a midfield trio which could become mainstays in the heart of the pitch, pushing the club towards glory before the end of the campaign.
Like Igamane, Raskin’s future will be away from Scotland, but if any club wishes to snap him up, they are going to have to pay a lavish transfer fee, that’s for sure.
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