Davie Selke has brought an end to those Rangers and West Brom rumours after joining Bundesliga outfit Koln on a free transfer from Hertha Berlin, as reported by the Effzeh official website.
The former Germany U21 international certainly has big shoes to fill at the Rhein Energie Stadium.
Anthony Modeste, scorer of 20 Bundesliga goals in 2021/22, hasn’t really been replaced since joining Borussia Dortmund over the summer. Whether Selke can pick up where he left off, however, only time will tell.
27-year-old Selke hasn’t hit double figures since the 2017/18 season, and Koln’s decision to take a punt on his hitherto unfulfilled potential is likely to divide opinion in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Rangers and West Brom missed out on Bundesliga striker Davie Selke
“As a classic (number) nine, he has his qualities in the box and yet also works immensely hard without the ball,” argues Koln sporting director Christian Keller.
“With his physical presence, strong aerial game and quality finishing, he will help our team if we use him accordingly. He can also give our team important motivation on and off the pitch.”
Selke, formerly of RB Leipzig, joins on a free transfer; his contract at relegation-battlers Hertha Berlin torn up.
According to BILD, he turned down both Rangers and West Brom on the final day of the summer transfer window. And the 6ft 5ins Selke feels that his physical approach will fit in well at a Koln side with a history of getting the best out of classic, targetman-type strikers.
“My style-of-play will fit in well with Steffen Baumgart’s game,” Selke adds. “I want to show that here. )(I will) work hard and, as a striker, preferably make my contribution scoring goals in aid of our success.”
Mick Beale’s Rangers looking at January transfers
Rangers failed to chip away at Celtic’s nine point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table during Monday’s Old Firm derby; Kyogo Furuhashi scoring a dramatic 88th minute equaliser at Ibrox. The likes of Dion Sanderson, Nicolas Raskin and Ahmed Kendouci are reported targets heading into the January transfer window.
“I definitely want to bring in players. But they have to be the right players,” Beale tells The Athletic.
“This will be a big month. It will be a month of sorting out one or two players’ futures. Tying one or two things up for now or in the summer. But there is no point in bringing in anyone short-term to the end of the season to appease myself or the fans.
“We need people to come in here who are going to be big players for Rangers for the next two or three years. And they don’t just grow on trees. We need to have a look. And, with this (Celtic) game out of the way now, it gives me time to get into it. I have some people in mind.”
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