Rangers reportedly turned down the chance to sign Steven Alzate from Premier League club Brighton and Hove Albion in January, and that choice has aged well since the January transfer window closed.
Rangers were reportedly offered the opportunity to bring the elegant Colombian international to Ibrox during the winter season.
Brighton’s £7 million loanee from Standard Liege, Steven Alzate, will become a free agent at the conclusion of the season. Roberto de Zerbi’s side allegedly “tried to convince” Rangers to buy him six months before he was supposed to leave The Amex for nothing.
Rangers, on the other hand, refused to take advantage of the occasion.
Fast forward to mid-March. Rangers signed Mohamed Diomande, a midfielder, for a reputed £4.5 million, despite Alzate’s disappointing performances in Belgium.
Rangers chose Diomande over Steven Alzate
“Certainly (he can improve more). Diomande’s performance against Benfica in the UEFA Europa League earned him his first Rangers assist, and Clement expects him to continue to contribute in the coming months and years.
“He’s a high-potential talent, and I don’t think Rangers will be his last destination. Of course, you’ll need some luck with injuries throughout your career. However, if he avoids it, he will be able to take more significant advances.
“He has talent but also the right mentality to work for the team, be very concentrated and very focused.”
It is fair to assume that Alzate’s recent performances have not received as much appreciation. Standard Liege have won only two of their eight league games since the Brighton loanee returned from injury. And Alzate’s dismal effort in Sunday’s 1-0 loss against Genk drew attention for all the wrong reasons.
Rangers thought to have found the correct man.
Former Belgium attacker Nordin Jbari explains to RTBF that good players must transcend the team during difficult times. “But Steven Alzate does not speak. “He’s not a leader.”
“Steven Alzate, what a talent,” says Cecile De Grenier, a former Standard women’s star. “But he did not care (about Genk). He did not want to be there.
You absolutely cannot make the same accusations against Diomande.The January signing is already gaining popularity among fans.
For a club that has received a lot of criticism for its recruitment in recent years, the Philippe Clement-Nils Koppen era has undoubtedly begun far better than the previous one ended.
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