Current Rangers star likened to 55-winning hero as pundit pleads for him to add two attributes to game

Rangers wide man Djeidi Gassama has shown shades of Ibrox hero Ryan Kent, according to pundit Kevin Thomson.

The 23-year old Mauritanian has been up and down so far under Derek McInnes - but despite starting all but one Premiership match, he has’t found the target yet. Former Rangers midfielder Thomson would like to see him add consistency and quality to his game.

Another man who was at times criticised for not producing it often enough at Ibrox was Kent. The ex Liverpool winger on his day was nigh on unplayable and helped Rangers win the 2020/21 Premiership title with his dribbling ability. Thomson sees shades of Gassama in Kent in terms of inconsistency - but also reckons he can produce that little bit of magic when needed.

What attributes does Gassama need to add to his game?

Thomson told the Breakdown podcast: “Gassama is still young. I was at Livingston last season when he was booed off by the away fans after a difficult afternoon. But I’m that ex-player who’s sitting on the gantry watching him live who gets excited when he lands on the ball because I feel he can do something special. He’s got that capacity to dribble, and he squares people up. I think back to when Ryan Kent first came to the club. He wasn’t always at his brilliant best but then he hit a level of consistency and those big moments came more regularly.

“If you ask opposition players, they would hate playing against Gassama. He just needs to add that finishing touch. I’ve seen him have a few wayward shots and a few fly over the bar, and I’d never patronise anyone for not scoring goals because it wasn’t something I could do. But having watched him it’s about showing that wee bit more composure when he gets into those good areas his talent takes him to. He dribbles and can twist and turn and has explosive speed. It’s just adding that wee bit of quality at the end of it.”

Thomson sets Gassama and Rangers teammate target

Last season, after signing from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer, Gassama had no such struggles in front of goal. Even during the disastrous period of ex-manager Russell Martin, the winger still produced the goods, particularly in their European qualifiers. Because of his previous, Thomson knows he has it in him to improve his attacking output. He thinks the same of fellow Ibrox winger Kim Min-su, who has also struggled in front of goal since his summer transfer from Girona.

Thomson continued: “He scored big goals for Rangers last season in Europe when he first signed for the club so we all know he’s capable. They’re not all going to score 25, but Minsu and Gassama should be trying to break that double-figure marker. That’s what you get judged on if you’re playing in that area of the pitch. They’re the risk-takers and the people who can make the difference.”

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