Clement could sign an ideal Danilo replacement in Rangers move for 6 ft 1 gem

Glasgow Rangers are currently on a six-match winning run which has seen the Gers secure progress to the Europa League knockout stage while securing their first League Cup title since 2011.

It has been a remarkable previous ten days for Philippe Clement as winning his first piece of silverware for the club after just two months in charge will give him a major confidence boost.

There are still three more fixtures to come before the winter break, however, and securing maximum points from these clashes will be vital if the Belgian tactician wants to win the Scottish Premiership title.

The Light Blues are suffering from an injury crisis at the moment, however, and with the January transfer window just around the corner, could the 49-year-old coach bolster his squad with a few new signings?

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Rangers transfer news – Fabio Silva

Clement has a plethora of midfielders on the treatment table along with a couple of attacking players, most notably Danilo, and the onus will be on him to strengthen these areas with suitable reinforcements.

With this in mind, the Gers appear to be in the race for a current Premier League forward with ambitions of adding another striker to their squad.

According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, the Ibrox side are currently in the race to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Fabio Silva next month.

The youngster looks set to leave the Old Gold after failing to live up to the staggering £35m fee which saw him leave Porto to join the Midlands side aged just 18 in 2020.

Old Firm rivals Celtic are also said to be interested alongside a host of Spanish sides, but the report claims the two Scottish sides are the clubs who are leading the chase for the forward.

He is currently valued at around €14.9m (£13m) according to Football Transfers, but a loan move could be the most likely course of action if he is to move north of the border.

Heading into January, Clement is missing Danilo for around four months due to a knee injury, while Cyriel Dessers and Abdallah Sima could be set to play at the Africa Cup of Nations and this leaves his forward options thin on the ground.

A move for Silva could be a decent short-term move and would allow the former AS Monaco coach to ease the blow of losing the Brazilian striker until he is ready to return.

Danilo’s statistics this season

Arriving for a fee of £6m from Feyenoord during the summer transfer window, the Ibrox faithful may have had big expectations for the striker.

Michael Beale did not place much faith in the player, however, as he started just three matches before the English boss was sacked following a 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen in September.

Since Clement has taken charge, though, Danilo has been rejuvenated, and he forged his way into the starting XI after a few decent showings.

In the 11 matches he has featured in under the Belgian, the 24-year-old scored three goals and grabbed a further four assists as he demonstrated his all-round ability in the penalty area.

His finishing ability needs work as he missed nine big chances, but his direct approach and physical strength caused chaos in opposition defences, and it looked as though he could eventually live up to his massive fee under Clement.

Just as he was gaining some consistency, he suffered a knee injury against Hearts, and it is unlikely that the supporters will see him play again before April.

While Silva may also not be the most clinical in front of goal, he could be an ideal replacement for the former Feyenoord striker until he is ready to make his return.

Fabio Silva has struggled at Wolves

A move to the Premier League having made just 12 senior league appearances and scoring once is a daunting prospect for many players, and it also represents a huge gamble for the buying team.

This is the situation Silva faced in 2020 as he arrived in the Midlands and the pressure clearly got to him as he managed to score just four goals during his debut season at Wolves.

While hardly prolific, it gave him a platform to build on heading into the 2021/22 campaign, yet it proved to be a disaster.

The youngster made 26 appearances across all competitions yet managed to register a single paltry assist and it was clear he was not living up to his lavish fee.

The 6 foot 1 forward was sent on loan to Belgian side Anderlecht for the first six months of the 2022/23 campaign and this is when he began to show his true potential.

Silva scored 11 times in 32 matches and began to rediscover the confidence which had alluded him in England over the previous two years, and he spent the final half of the campaign on loan at PSV Eindhoven.

Another five goals and two assists followed in a slightly more difficult league, and it looked as though this could be the catalyst in which Silva would turn into a key member of Gary O’Neil’s side.

The 40-year-old even lavished praise on the youngster recently, saying: “Being more secure with the ball, still being a goal threat – he’s a young number nine playing in the hardest league in the world, so when I give him these things to improve, it’s normal.

“He’s been really willing in the last few weeks. He’s worked harder than he was at the start of the season, he’s really trying to force his way in.”

The 21-year-old ace has started just four times all season and it looks as though he could be edging closer to an exit in the next few weeks.

Clement would be taking a big risk by making a move for the talented striker, but if he can secure him on a temporary deal until the end of the season, it could benefit both parties immensely.

The Gers need another striker to bolster their squad, while Silva needs plenty of game time to build his confidence and this means it is a win-win situation.

If the former Porto marksman could replicate his form from 2022/23, then it could turn into an inspired signing who could lead the line for the Scottish giants until Dessers returns from international duty, should he be selected, and Danilo is back from his injury.