Sam Lammers is now set to become Rangers’ fourth signing of the summer window (with technically two actual days left before it starts) for a fee of around £3.5M+ after Atalanta boss Gianpiero Gasparoni sanctioned the sale of what amounts to a total flop signing by the recently-extended Italian manager.
He secured Lammers himself in 2020 for €8M (£7M) from Dutch giants PSV which in itself was a gamble addition due to the fact his own form had dropped off in the Eredivisie quite badly. One season later he was already being farmed out to other clubs such as Eintracht and has been on the fall quite badly since then.
And Rangers will cut Atalanta’s losses by around 50% by signing the 26-year-old up on what is said to be a four-year deal as Lammers arranges an Ibrox medical.
This is the biggest signing risk we’ve ever seen at Rangers and there’s absolutely no evidence it’s a gamble worth taking.
Lammers hasn’t had a hint of form for around four years, and a lot of Rangers fans are very worried about this addition, with some trying to justify it based on ‘Serie A being very different to the Scottish Premiership’.
The fact is Lammers had outstanding form for PSV up to four years ago, then it crumbled at the De Kuip as Atalanta signed him, only for the form to continue the downwards trajectory.
Beale is taking a massive risk with almost £4M of Rangers’ pounds that Lammers is the right man for the club, because we’re not swimming in cash and £4M, many argue, could be much better spent elsewhere.
Indeed, Rangers have history for signing players for big money who just haven’t worked out – Matondo, Davies, Ridvan and even Kemar Roofe cost a combined £17M (yes really) and there’s been little return on that.
Does this mean Lammers is condemned before he arrives?
It means that Rangers fans are expecting a £4M striker who will find the net with ease, who will ‘replace’ Alfredo Morelos and prove value for money, but there is a lot of caution.
We will say this – we absolutely hate divisive signings, signings we aren’t all happy with and which leave the support a bit splintered. Jack Butland united us all, Rangers fans are all excited with that one.
But Lammers? A lot less so.
It’s a disappointing addition and a slightly inexplicable one – Raskin and Cantwell had real and recent pedigree when they came to Ibrox, Lammers’ last good reputation was four years ago.
Beale really is taking a big gamble with this.