Online Reporter
WITH the biggest and most successful Scottish giants now locked in a bruising battle for his signature, Zimbabwe international forward Tawanda Maswanhise has been compared to a legendary Rangers’ forward.
Rangers and their main rivals Celtic are embroiled in a bitter fight for the Warriors’ forward whose stock has risen this season in spectacular fashion.
He is leading the Golden Boot race in the Scottish Premiership and was named one of the three promising talents at the AFCON finals despite being restricted to just 90 minutes of action.
Now, Maswanhise, affectionately known as JT after the initials of his two names, Tawanda and Jeffery, is being compared to former Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos.
According to the footballfancast.com website, Rangers might just have found the player they have been looking for who can step up to be their long-term consistent number nine in the way the Colombian did.
Morelos scored 124 goals in 269 appearances in all competitions for Rangers before his exit on a free transfer in the summer of 2023.
Rangers have not won the league since Morelos moved on from the club almost three years ago.
But, they could inch closer to doing so by finally finding that reliable centre-forward in the transfer window.
“According to TEAMtalk, Glasgow Rangers are interested in a deal to sign Motherwell centre-forward Tawanda Maswanhise in the January transfer window.
“TEAMtalk does not reveal how much money Motherwell would need to be offered to be tempted into cashing in on their star forward, but it does reveal that Rangers do have the money to make it difficult for their league rivals to turn down a significant offer.
“Rangers have lacked a striker who has been prolific and clinical in the two-and-a-half seasons since Morelos left Ibrox on a free transfer, but the signing of Maswanhise would change that.
“The 23-year-old, who can play out wide or through the middle as a number nine, scored his 15th goal of the season in all competitions against Ross County in the SFA Cup last time out, which shows that he can find the back of the net on a regular basis.
“Maswanhise, who was ‘ by analyst Kai Watson, also has the finishing quality to arrive at Ibrox as the forward they have been desperately lacking in recent seasons.”
The website added:
“The Zimbabwe international has scored 16 goals from 9.48 xG in the Premiership since the start of last season.
“The most impressive part of that is that he produced 14.27 xG on target from 9.48 xG worth of chances, which essentially means that the quality of his shots consistently elevated the xG value of the chances he had.
“That is the sign of a supremely talented finisher, which is backed up by his goal return, and that is something Rangers have not had since Morelos moved on.
“Maswanhise has the goal-scoring pedigree and finishing quality to be a reliable and prolific number nine for Rangers.
“It is now down to the board to put enough money on the table to convince their Premiership rivals to part ways with the prolific 23-year-old marksman.” − Sports Reporter/footballfancast.com
