Rangers add to striking options with signing of Abdallah Sima

Rangers have completed the signing of forward Abdallah Sima from Brighton and Hove Albion on a season-long loan deal.

The Senegal international will move to Ibrox on July 1 to become the latest addition to manager Michael Beale’s squad.

Sima hasn’t yet played for Brighton but moved to the Seagulls in 2021 after catching the eye with his performances for Slavia Prague.

The 22-year-old has since had loan spells at Stoke City and French side Angers, and will continue his development in the Premiership next season.

“Rangers is a big club with a big history,” Sima told the club website. “I played here for Slavia Prague two or three years ago and when I came here I liked it so for me it is very exciting to join Rangers.

“I spoke with Michael Beale and it was a very natural conversation, he told me about Rangers and about how we will be playing.

“I already knew a bit about how Rangers play so when they called me I was very honoured.”

Beale said he was bringing in a player whose talents were “aligned” with Rangers’ style of play.

“We are delighted to have Abdallah join us for the forthcoming season,” he said. “He is a player I’m excited to work with, he has excellent variety in his game and can fulfil a number of attacking positions in our team.

“He has recently turned 22-years-old and has experienced playing in three domestic top divisions, in the Europa league and is a senior international for Senegal. We met a few weeks ago and discussed at length his alignment to our style of play and his future development as a player.

“He is someone I have followed closely since his breakthrough in the Czech Republic and I am extremely pleased to have Abdallah join the squad at the very start of pre-season.

“I would also like to say thank you to the staff at Brighton who have been excellent since our initial contact a number of weeks ago.”

Sima has become Rangers’ fifth signing of a busy transfer window so far.

Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers, Dujon Sterling and Jack Butland have all been recruited as Rangers seek to break Celtic’s stranglehold on domestic silverware, as well as reach the group stage of the Champions League.