It is no secret that Glasgow Rangers desperately require a proper out-and-out goalscorer if they are to return to the top of Scottish football.
Many have arrived in Glasgow with the weight of expectation thrust upon them, failing to really hit the ground running at Ibrox.
Names such as Cedric Itten, Antonio Colak and, more recently, Cyriel Dessers have all failed to really emerge as players who could regularly score 30 plus goals a season.
Yes, Colak and Dessers may have netted 18 and 22 goals respectively during their single seasons at the Light Blues, but what Philippe Clement needs is someone in the shape of Kris Boyd.
The former Scotland international may not have been the most agile, or quickest, or even the strongest, yet once the ball dropped to his feet in the box, there was only one outcome. Goal.
Kris Boyd’s Rangers statistics
The striker had begun to make a name for himself during the embryonic stages of his career at Kilmarnock.
Making his debut in the final game of the 2000/01 season – replacing a certain Ally McCoist no less – Boyd came to prominence over the next four and a half seasons, scoring 67 goals for the Ayrshire side, emerging as one of the most prolific strikers in the country.
Midway through the 2005/06 campaign, the Gers were struggling in what was to be Alex McLeish’s final year at the helm of the club.
That December, he managed to secure the services of Boyd from Kilmarnock, and he would go on to repay every single penny over the next four years.
A hat-trick on his debut was an ominous sign as he finished the second half of the season with 20 goals for the Light Blues, and it looked as though the club finally had a Scottish heir to Super Ally.
Player
Season
Goals
Alfredo Morelos
2018/19
30
Kris Boyd
2008/09
31
Marco Negri
1997/98
37
Mark Hateley
1993/94
30
Ally McCoist
1992/93
49
Despite not always being a regular in Walter Smith’s starting XI, Boyd ended his first spell at the club having scored 127 goals in just 190 appearances, departing for Middlesbrough in 2010.
Since he left, Rangers haven’t had a Scottish striker like him. Could this be about to change in the coming weeks? Clement is reportedly keen on a player who was recently called up to represent Scotland at the 2024 European Championships.
Rangers are interested in a Scottish striker this summer
According to the Daily Record last week, Rangers are showing some interest in signing Bristol City striker Tommy Conway and will make an offer for the striker should he run down the final 12 months of his contract.
The Light Blues could sign him on a pre-contract in January as talks over a new deal have failed to come to anything in recent weeks.
The Bristol Post also states that the club could even listen to offers for him this summer as they look to secure a decent fee for the youngster. This could give Clement plenty of incentive to strike a deal with the centre-forward.
Pundit Tom Sandy believes that City should be looking at around £5m in order to sell him this summer, which could be a slight problem for Rangers unless they sell a few players.
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Due to Lyndon Dykes suffering a major injury prior to the competition, Conway was called up by Steve Clarke to link up with the national side in Germany, but he failed to make an appearance off the bench against the host nation in the 5-1 thrashing.
Could the club potentially sign Boyd 2.0 if they manage to lure Conway north of the border? Only time will tell.
Tommy Conway’s season in numbers
Conway broke onto the scene during the 2022/23 campaign, scoring nine Championship goals for City in 34 appearances, adding another three in the EFL Cup.
This appeared to be the catalyst for the 21-year-old to take his game to the next level, as he was superb throughout last season.
Another ten goals in the English second tier was impressive, yet it was his displays against West Ham United in the FA Cup that got tongues wagging regarding his performances.
Statman Dave lauded the striker as “clinical” after he scored the winner to send City through at the Hammers' expense.
Not only does he have a keen eye for goal, but Conway is also excellent at distributing the ball, a trait not often associated with strikers of his style. Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in the men’s next 14 competitions, Conway ranks in the top 1% for pass success rate (82.2%) per 90, ensuring that he often brings others into play with his vision and passing abilities.
He was lauded as being a “gifted boy” by Steve Evans in 2023, and it is clear that Conway has a bright future ahead, especially considering the teams who are looking to sign him this summer.
Among his teammates in the Championship, the Scot ranked first for goals and assists (11), along with ranking first for shots on target per game (0.7) and second for scoring frequency (a goal every 230 minutes), showcasing his abilities in front of goal last term.
He certainly isn’t the finished article, but Clement is aiming to sign players who have a massive capacity to improve following a move to Ibrox.
The likes of Jefte and Oscar Cortes – two summer signings – are still raw and have plenty to learn, but under the Belgian’s leadership, they could develop into players who could make the Light Blues a stunning profit in the future.
Playing in a league where he could score plenty of goals will do wonders for his confidence and could see the Gers finally land their heir to Boyd.
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Clement can either make an offer this summer in a bid to land him, or take a risk and wait until January, when the player can sign a pre-contract agreement.
Whatever happens, Conway is a striker who is constantly improving and if Rangers don’t sign him, it could be another talent who slips through the net.
