Rangers manager Russell Martins has confirmed that Nigerian striker Cyriel Dessers is on the verge of leaving the club ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline, Bold Sports reports.
The 30-year-old Nigerian International, who has netted 52 goals in 116 appearances for the Ibrox side, came off the bench in Sunday’s Old Firm Derby against Celtic, which ended in a goalless draw.
Speaking after the game, Martins revealed Dessers’ imminent exit during his post-match press conference: “Cyriel has probably played his last game for us,” the Rangers boss told BBC Scotland. “We’ve agreed something with another club. We’ll see how that develops in the next 24 hours.”
Although Martins did not disclose Dessers’ next destination, reports indicate that Greek giants Panathinaikos have reached an agreement with Rangers for the striker’s transfer. The deal is expected to be worth around €5 million, with Dessers set to replace outgoing forward Fotis Ioannidis.
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Dessers’ potential departure follows the recent sale of his strike partner Hamza Igamane to Lille, further depleting Rangers’ attacking options. The Ibrox club’s struggles continue on the pitch as well, with the draw against Celtic extending a disappointing run of just two wins in their last ten matches across all competitions.
The Nigerian striker recently returned from a knee injury sustained during Rangers’ Champions League qualification clash against Viktoria Plzen. He made his comeback in the Old Firm derby after being sidelined for nearly three weeks.
Dessers’ availability will be welcome news for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, who included the striker in his final 23-man squad for Nigeria’s upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers in September.
The Super Eagles are set to host Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on September 6 before traveling to face South Africa on September 9, with both fixtures crucial to their qualification hopes.
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