Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin has acknowledged that Hamza Igamane was unable to enter the game against St Mirren after informing the manager that he was unfit to play.
Speaking after the match, the Gers boss said: “I turned around to him at 60 minutes and Hamza told me he’s injured. I have to trust him, but we’ll see.”
“The issue is that the window is still open and there are people with one eye out and one eye in We had a bid this week for Hamza that we rejected. There are too many people uncertain and we have to make sure we have people that want to be here. I’m calm about it.”
Igamane was summoned to come off the bench in the second half, with the Gers trailing 1-0 to St Mirren, but declined the call, citing injury, and these remarks from Martin do not indicate that an injury was the sole factor at play.
The “we’ll see” and the mention of rejecting a bid for the striker, along with players who are “uncertain” about their future, seem to hint that a potential move away from Ibrox may have influenced the decision.
Hopefully, that wasn’t the case, and it was purely a health concern and nothing more, but the window remains open for another week, and the chance that Igamane departs the club remains a genuine one.
Why losing Hamza Igamane would be a setback for Rangers:
Cashing in on the Morocco international before the end of the summer transfer window would be a setback for the Light Blues because he is an exciting young talent who possesses the ability to perform at the top end of the pitch.
The 22-year-old star enjoyed a remarkable first season in Glasgow after his transfer to Ibrox last summer, scoring 16 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, per Transfermarkt.
His performance in the Scottish Premiership, in particular, was notable. The Moroccan star demonstrated that he can be a precise finisher while also offering a creative presence in the centre-forward role or out wide on the left.
As you can see in the table above, Igamane exceeded his xG by around three goals and was let down by his teammates in front of goal, as they failed to capitalize on the high-quality chances he created for them.
An xA tally of 4.85 suggests that he should have had far more than one assist in the top-flight, and shows that he has the creativity and skill to frequently unlock opposition defenses.
Losing Igamane would be a significant loss, therefore, for Martin because of his prowess in the final third, but the Gers are reportedly interested in a star who could allow the club to approve an exit before the deadline.
Rangers eyeing move for LaLiga forward
According to the Daily Mail, Glasgow Rangers are planning a move to bring Girona centre-forward Bojan Miovski to Ibrox before the window closes.
The report claims that the Macedonia international is out of favor at Girona, 12 months on from his transfer from Aberdeen for a fee of £6.8m, and could be heading out of the Spanish side in the coming days.
It adds that Martin is a known admirer of the striker, whom he wanted to sign during his time at Swansea and Southampton in Wales and England, and would like to acquire him to strengthen his attack at Ibrox.
The Daily Mail reveals that the player and Girona would prefer a permanent deal to allow him to leave, but that Rangers cannot afford a permanent move for the star who cost around £7m last year.
It is suggested that, therefore, a loan arrangement for Miovski may be the path the Gers choose to pursue, and that the player could be enticed by the prospect of a return to Scotland.
Why this could be the end for Hamza Igamane at Rangers:
Rangers have employed systems that either feature one striker or none in all of their competitive matches so far, a pattern that has been consistent for Martin throughout his career.
In their striker lineup, the Gers currently have Danilo, Cyriel Dessers, and Igamane at their disposal. This indicates that they would not be seeking to add another centre-forward to the group unless they believed one of them would move on.
Given what occurred against St Mirren, what Martin stated, and the interest in his services, Igamane could be the player who bids farewell to Ibrox before the window closes to create space for Miovski to join.
Losing the Moroccan sensation, as mentioned earlier, would be a blow to the Gers when considered in isolation, given what he accomplished on the field in his first year at the club.
The acquisition of Miovski, a proven performer in the Premiership, would ease that blow because he could step in and immediately become a significant goal-scoring threat for Martin.
As you can see in the table above, Miovski was a clinical finisher—taking into account the xG on target versus xG—for Aberdeen on his way to scoring 32 goals in two Premiership seasons.
The left-footed star, who was described as a “complete number 9” by journalist Josh Bunting, only started 12 times in LaLiga for Girona last season, scoring twice, and did not really get an opportunity to build any rhythm or momentum in his performances.
Miovski is a proven performer in the Premiership, though, and his output for Aberdeen in two of the last three seasons suggests that he has the ability to hit the ground running as a lethal goalscorer for Rangers.
This is why the club’s interest in the Girona outcast may indicate, along with Sunday’s events, that Igamane could be on his way out of Ibrox before the window shuts, and Miovski could be a dream substitute for him.