Rangers target scores brilliant hat-trick as Gers hold talks over £2m ace

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For Rangers, much of the discourse over the last week or so has centred on Colombian centre-forwards. 

The unavailability of Alfredo Morelos for Wednesday’s Europa League final, and the ruthlessness of Rafael Santos Borre.

Now, it’s time Gers supporters were introduced to a third.  

“Rangers are definitely in need of a striker,” Russian reporter Roman Naguchev tells Sport24. “Mateo Cassierra is very interesting for the club.

“The Rangers management has already contacted FC Sochi. (Giovanni) Van Bronkhorst knows this player well.”

He certainly does.

Van Bronckhorst was still at the helm of Eredivisie giants Feyenoord when Ajax splashed out £5 million for a teenage Cassierra in 2016. But, after a spell in Portugal, it has taken another change of scenery for the 25-year-old frontman to unlock the potential he showed all those years ago, back home at Deportivo Cali. 

Will Rangers sign Mateo Cassierra from FC Sochi?

On the final day of the Russian Premier League season last weekend, Cassierra netted a hat-trick for the first time since his free-scoring days in Ajax’s reserve team.

If that was to be his final appearance in the colours of FC Sochi – with Cassierra’s agent refusing to rule out a move to Ibrox – then what a way to sign off. 

His first of the game, as Sochi hammered Dynamo Moscow 5-1 away from home, was the sort of instinctive poacher’s finish compatriot Alfredo Morelos has made his trademark at Ibrox. Cassierra showed another side of his game a couple of minutes later, racing in behind before slotting home one-v-one.

The one-time West Brom target completed his treble midway through the second half, once again in the right place at the right time.

“The off-season may bring some surprises, but this is life and we hope that we will cope with all situations perfectly,” Sochi coach Vladimir Fedotov tells Match TV when quizzed about Cassierra’s future on the banks of the Black Sea. 

“The guy loves what he does and works selflessly in training. He is professional, disciplined.”

You forgot to add ‘ruthless’.