Hamza Igamane: Rangers’ Moroccan Star

Phillipe Clement’s time at Rangers has had its ups and downs, and his attempt to rebuild his squad on a shoestring budget is being juggled with trying to appease fans of a club who have experienced years of struggle.

Despite a league title and European final in recent years, Rangers are still trying to get back to where they once were, and a slew of managerial signings and poor financial management has made this job even harder.

Even the most staunch of Rangers fans are unlikely to back their team to win the title this season having fallen behind to their Old Firm rivals. UK Bookmakers have Rangers priced at around 40/1 to complete a shock, but with Hamza Igamane emerging as a real talent, other betting markets might be better suited.

With Cyriel Dessers dropping down the pecking order, Hamza Igamane’s form has been a highlight this season. Fans looking for odds on the SPL top goalscorer might find more competitive odds with non gamstop betting sites. These offshore alternatives often offer excellent prices and offers that help to increase stakes.

At present, Igamane is currently priced at around 10/1 with four goals. However, if he is to be played as the main striker for the rest of the season this total could shoot up.

Igamane’s total of 4 goals from 14 games might not seem that impressive at first glance but bear in mind this is a disjointed Rangers side that has seen him deployed on the left wing.

More impressively, the 22-year-old Moroccan forward has 4 goals in 4 games in the UEFA Europa League this season, most notably scoring a double against OGC Nice and the opener against Tottenham at Ibrox.

Igamane signed a 5-year deal with the Scottish giants in the Summer, joining for around £1.7 million from Moroccan side AS FAR. Clement stated that the club moved for the player quickly because they feared they would not be able to afford him next season due to his development.

His impressive recent performances for Rangers seemed to have justified these comments, and he has pushed Dessers out of the starting lineup. The return of Brazilian forward Danilo has also helped his development with impressive link-up play between the two.

Rangers loan star Václav Černý and the returning Óscar Cortés could also help the forward continue to improve.

Going into the new year, Igamane’s 4 goals have come from an XG of 3.61 and an XGOT of 5.12. Of his 34 shots, 14 have been on target and he has completed 144 successful passes with a pass accuracy of 73.8%.

His impressive performances have inevitably begun to draw comparisons to some greats of the game, with Ronaldo (R9) and Drogba being mentioned thanks to his hold-up ability and skill with the ball at his feet.

His impressive game against Tottenham which included a goal and double nutmeg in the middle of the park alerted a host of EPL clubs to the players’ potential.

A potential call up to the Morrrocan natinal side will further increase the value and publicity around Igamane and he has already been strongly linked with a move to Everton.

A value of around £10 million is being discussed which would represent an impressive return on investment on a player signed just 6 months ago. Other clubs to have been linked to the forward include fellow Premier League sides Fulham, Newcastle, Brentford, Bournemouth, and West Ham, as well as Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta, and LOSC Lille.

With so much interest in the player already, and impressive performances in Scotland and Europe, fans would be forgiven for asking for more than the reported £10 million.

The money available in the top leagues has traditionally bypassed the SPL, with players like Virgil van Dijk having to prove themselves at smaller English clubs before earning a big money move.

However, Scottish clubs are beginning to realise the value of their assets and there would be a strong case for Rangers to play hardball for a talented young player at the start of a 5-year contract.

Rumours that Dessers is set for a January move away from Ibrox could benefit the club financially and see Igamane cement the forward position as his own. Potential moves for Ridvan Yilmaz and other fringe players like Alex Lowry, Adam Devine, Tom Lawrence, and Kieran Dowell could free up valuable wages and bring some funds in.

This would allow the Ibrox club to strengthen without losing Igamane in the short term. Rangers’ failure to capitalise on the value of players like Kent and Morelos in recent years won’t be forgotten, but the length of contract that Igamane is on will work in their favour.