Kenny Miller could not hide his adoration for Michael Beale for driving hard on the offensive for Rangers in the transfer market.
The Light Blues have signed no shorter than six players so far in the window, massively bolstering their attacking contingent in Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima, whilst also getting rid of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent on free transfers after their careers at Ibrox admittedly went stale despite previous endeavours marking them as Rangers icons.
More are set to join; Jose Cifuentes has been heavily linked with a move to Ibrox and could join in the coming weeks for a fee of around £1.2million, whilst other players could join with the Gers boss wanting to bring in 'two or three' new players ahead of a gruelling season with Celtic. And Miller has praised Beale for his proactivity - claiming that the Dessers race was a long time in the making as he scouted him whilst Steven Gerrard was manager.
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Miller said to the Daily Record: "Dessers is clearly a striker he’s had his eye on for a long time. It’s a player who was flagged up back when Steven Gerrard was in charge, and I suspect a few of the new recruits are in the same boat. He’s finally got his man and it looks an encouraging signing. I said at the end of the season the big priority was sorting out both ends of the pitch – the goalkeeper and striker.
"Beale has now done that. He’s taken full charge of the recruitment drive. We had all the stuff about Ross Wilson before but he’s taken it all on his shoulders. He’s been given good backing and he’s landing the players he wants.
"Beale brought in Jack Butland, who is a goalkeeper with a wealth of experience and pedigree, who sounds really up for the challenge at Ibrox. Now he’s added Dessers, who you’d expect to lead the line. I’ve liked what I’ve seen of the Nigerian international. He’s a big, strong forward with plenty of ability, and he’s scored goals at a good level across Europe.
"The numbers might not be spectacular but he’s proved he can hit the net in the likes of Holland and Italy and he looks like a player who can get the 20-plus league goals plus a season Rangers need. At over 6ft, he’s a physical presence as well, and there’s a fair few of them in that dressing room now.
"The thing about Rangers strikers is you’ll always get opportunities and this is the one Michael believes can put them away. He’ll need help from the other attacking players, as that was always something labelled against the side.
"We know Ryan Kent was a top player but he didn’t manage the goal return required. The likes of Malik Tillman chipped in – and I’m sure Tom Lawrence would have if he’d stayed fit – but there needs to be a front four who can each hit double figures. Beale now has his frontline in place as well as the time and space to get them bedded in over in Germany and in the rest of pre-season. You’d say there’s been some decent business, even if we do have to reserve judgement until it kicks off for real.
"Maybe I was a glutton for punishment, but I loved this time of year. It’s changed days from when I started out running up and down Arthur’s Seat until I dropped. I’m not saying players are more professional now but they do get less of a summer, so they are coming back at a higher level of fitness. Going away with the team is great. It’s a chance to bond with the new players, for the manager to get his ideas across and to build that foundation of fitness for a long and hard season ahead.
"At Rangers and Celtic you go from Europe to domestic games and even draws are treated like a crisis. The new Rangers players will get that drummed into them over in Germany and with more business in the next few weeks, Beale’s in a good place to get off to a flyer."
