Rangers rivalled for signing of goal-hungry star as transfer battle for Brighton man widens
Rangers forwards Cyriel Dessers and Abdallah Sima
A permanent deal for Rangers to keep Abdallah Sima from Brighton after his loan spell is something the Scottish Premiership side could explore, according to a report.
Sima is spending the season in Scotland after Rangers took him for the third loan spell of his Brighton career after his previous experiences with Stoke City and Angers. So far, he has scored nine goals in 17 games for his temporary club.
Thanks to his form, the former Slavia Prague winger could be the subject of a permanent offer by Rangers, Football Insider has revealed. However, there is a risk of other clubs also competing for his signature.
There is no option to buy in Sima’s contract with Rangers, which means they do not have any kind of first refusal if Brighton decide to cash in on him at the end of the season.
The report does not mention who else specifically might be rivalling Rangers for Sima’s signature, but the hint is that the competition will come from Europe.
By the end of the season, there will only be one year remaining on Sima’s contract with Brighton. He has never made an appearance for his parent club, who therefore might be wise to get a decent windfall for him while they can, capitalising on his positive form.
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Sima has also been expressing his talents on the European stage this season. Two of his Rangers goals have been in the Europa League, a competition he has not played in since his Slavia Prague days.
Brighton are also involved in the Europa League this season, having found their own successful formula without Sima last term to finish in the Premier League’s top six.
Whether there would be a way for Roberto De Zerbi to finally integrate him into his plans at the Amex Stadium remains unclear. As things stand, it seems more likely that there will be a battle to buy the Senegal international from the Seagulls in the summer.
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