OPINION
Rangers must make an attempt to sign Cardiff City striker Ibrahim Meite in the January transfer window with it being reported that the pacey 22-year-old will make himself available for a free transfer.
The Daily Mail has reported that Meite is on the verge of quitting the Premier League side ahead of the transfer window re-opening next month, and that has sparked a huge amount of interest from across Europe.
It is understood that Watford are eyeing up the striker as well as Championship high-flyers West Brom.
Rangers’ Europa League group stage rivals Spartak Moscow are also said to be interested in Meite, who has not featured once for Cardiff this season and looks fed up with his lack of football in South Wales.
Steven Gerrard may be forced into signing a new striker next month after it was reported by the Scottish Sun that Umar Sadiq’s loan deal has been terminated early and he has returned to parent club Roma.
That leaves just Kyle Lafferty and Alfredo Morelos as Rangers’ only senior strikers and that is an issue in itself because Lafferty’s form has been very inconsistent and Morelos’ disciplinary record is major concern.
Meite is someone who should be given another chance to impress and there is clearly some quality there for him to attract attention from clubs like Watford, West Brom, Saint-Etienne and Spartak Moscow.
With him being available for free, it also helps Rangers use what funds they might have to focus on bolstering other areas of the squad.
Gerrard is more than likely going to want an attacking midfielder in January to help Morelos and Lafferty be more prolific, so if speed demon Meite is signed as a third-choice striker for free, then that could really help the Gers boss out.
It would not be the most thrilling of signings but it is a signing that could be necessary if the Light Blues want to avoid spending big money on replacing a player who has not really played much this season.
It won’t be a hard act for Meite to follow anyway.