Rangers Confirm Dessers, Balogun for Scottish Premiership Opener

Rangers Boss, Michael Beale, has confirmed that both their Nigerian internationals, Cyriel Dessers and Leon Balogun, are available for the club’s first game of the new Scottish league season.

Cyril Dessers made the switch to the Scottish giants from Cremonese this summer for £5m on a four-year deal, while Balogun returned for a second spell on a year deal following previous two successful seasons at the Ibrox Stadium between 2020 and 2022.

The record 55-time Scottish champions have recruited well in this window, bringing in the likes of Danilo, Sam Lammers, Jose Cifuentes, Kieran Dowell and Jack Butland to join Dessers and Balogun, as they are aiming to wrestle the league title back from the hands of their arch-rival Celtic.

Beale, who was once before an assistant to former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, returned to the club this summer following a brief stint at QPR last season, confirmed that both Dessers and Balogun are part of the squad travelling to Rugby park to face Kilmarnock on Saturday in their first game of the new Scottish Premiership.

The 42-year-old said in a press conference on RangersTV that both Super Eagles players have undoubted qualities to help the club challenge for major honours in the new season.

Rangers will face Servette in the third qualifying round of the Champions League on Wednesday after their league opener against Kilmarnock today.