Glasgow Rangers will take a healthy lead over to Czechia next week after they hammered Viktoria Plzen 3-0 at Ibrox under the lights on Tuesday night in their Champions League qualifier.
It was their best performance under Russell Martin, to date, with a clear style of play that brought success in and out of possession throughout the match.
The Ibrox boss made some bold calls with his team selection for the game, as he left out captain James Tavernier and Nicolas Raskin, whilst Oliver Antman was also handed a debut shortly after arriving in Glasgow from Go Ahead Eagles.
Antman did not need much time to settle into life in Scotland. The Finland international provided an assist of sorts in the first half, as his driving run won a penalty for the Gers.
He is not the only summer signing who has made a fast start to life with Rangers, though, as Djeidi Gassama continued to show that he has the potential to be an exceptional player for the club this season.
Why Djeidi Gassama can be a star for Rangers
The 21-year-old forward was signed from Sheffield Wednesday this summer to bolster the manager’s options on the flanks, but he did not arrive as a marquee signing.
Rangers reportedly paid a fee of around £2.2m to sign the French talent after he scored eight goals in 47 outings in all competitions for the Owls last term, which shows that he did not come in as a big-money recruit or a player with an outstanding record for his former team.
However, Gassama has quickly shown that he has the quality to emerge as a star for Martin and the Light Blues with his performances on the pitch for the Scottish giants.
Minutes
15
34
83
Shots
1
1
2
Goals
1
1
0
Key passes
0
0
1
Dribbles completed
2/2
0/1
2/3
As you can see in the table above, the Frenchman scored two goals and completed four of his six attempted dribbles in his first three outings for the club against Panathinaikos and Motherwell, before his impressive showing against Plzen on Tuesday.
Gassama added two more goals to his tally in the win over the Czechia outfit, scoring a curling effort in the first half before he headed into the bottom corner from Antman’s perfect cross in the second half.
The electric winger has offered a direct and exciting presence on the left flank for Rangers, and has provided goals to add substance to his performances, which is why he has the potential to be a superstar for the Light Blues.
Rangers made approach to sign new winger
According to Africa Foot, Standard Liege are looking to move on from winger Moussa Djenepo because of his wages, and the winger has a £1.7m release clause in his contract at the club.
Their report adds that Rangers and Leeds United, the two 49ers-owned clubs in Britain, have both made approaches over a potential deal for the winger this summer.
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However, the outlet does not explain whether or not either of those teams are planning to follow up on their interest in the former Southampton man, which means that it remains to be seen whether or not he is an active target for the Gers.
Africa Foot reveals, though, that Tractor SC and Persepolis are both interested in a deal to sign the Mali international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.
This means that Rangers may have to move swiftly to conclude a move for the former Premier League forward, if they decide to pursue his services before the end of the summer window.
Why Rangers should sign Moussa Djenepo
The Gers should swoop to sign the 27-year-old attacker in the coming weeks because he could be a bargain signing to play as a back-up for Gassama.
Djenepo and Gassama could be a brilliant one-two punch on the left flank for Rangers, with one starting and the other able to come off the bench to make an impact against tired defences.
Like the former Sheffield Wednesday man, the Standard Liege winger is a direct forward who likes to get fans off their seats by taking opposition defenders on. This is evidenced by his 2.2 dribbles completed per game in the Super Lig on loan at Antalyaspor in the 2024/25 season.
Dribbles completed
4.08
Top 1%
Dribble success rate
55%
Top 24%
Touches in the opposition’s box
6.12
Top 6%
Fouls won
2.89
Top 4%
Penalties won
0.17
Top 3%
Assists
0.00
Bottom 3%
Goals
0.17
Top 49%
As you can see in the table above, the Mali international excelled as a dribbler, committing defenders and winning fouls, in the Super Lig, but he did not back it up with goals and assists.
The wing wizard, who once scored a stunning solo goal for Southampton in the Premier League against Sheffield United, only scored two goals in 23 league games for Antalyaspor.
Djenepo, who only scored five goals in 91 games for the Saints, is unlikely to arrive at Rangers as a winger who is going to produce 20 goals and assists over a season, but that would not be his role.
The £1.7m-rated star was once hailed as “hugely underrated” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and the forward could play an underrated role as competition for Gassama on the left flank.
Martin could use the French winger to start matches and then bring Djenepo on as a perfect impact substitute, due to his terrific ability to dribble past players and win fouls to get the team up the pitch and to relieve pressure on the defence if they are holding onto a lead.
Overall, a £1.7m deal for Djenepo would be a low-risk signing that could allow the Gers to give Gassama a rest at the end of matches, whilst providing the Gers with another direct winger who can excite fans, even if he is unlikely to be a star player for Martin.
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