Rangers eye talented 21-year-old rising starlet – Has Gerrard spotted the right talent here?

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Why Rangers should sign Josh Maja to bolster their attacking options

According to Football Insider (h/t The Scotsman), Rangers are eyeing Bordeaux striker Josh Maja as a replacement for Alfredo Morelos.

Maja, 21, came to prominence with his impressive performances for Sunderland in the League One last season. And he earned a move to France with Bordeaux, where he has continued his fine form and has attracted a lot of interest (h/t The Scotsman).

Josh Maja celebrates after scoring a goal (Getty Images)
Josh Maja celebrates after scoring a goal (Getty Images)

The former Manchester City youth player has gone from strength to strength in the last few years and has taken his game to the next level. Thus, Rangers should look to snap him up in the summer to add to their attacking unit.

Despite starting the season on a strong note, the Gers have failed to carry on with the momentum and have fallen behind in the Premiership title race. They are 13 points behind fierce-rivals Celtic and are set to lose on another league title.

Alfredo Morelos and Jermaine Defoe have led the line brilliantly for the Glasgow club, scoring 12 and 13 goals respectively. They had formed a strong partnership up front until the English veteran got injured. After that, the Colombian has also shown inconsistency.

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard (Getty Images)
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard (Getty Images)

Gerrard brought in Florian Kamberi in January on loan and before the Albanian could show his prowess the league got suspended. And he could return to his parent club once his loan spell ends (h/t Glasgow Times). Hence, it is the need of the hour for the manager to bring in reinforcements to their attacking unit.

Colombian international Morelos is also linked with the move away from the club and Defoe is already 37 and beyond his prime. Therefore, the Gers must bring in Josh Maja in the summer to add depth to the squad.

Maja has been one of the consistent performers for Bordeaux this term and has helped his side to the 12th position in the Ligue 1 standing with 6 goals, which came after a whopping 17 goals for Sunderland in the previous campaign.

Josh Maja during his time with Sunderland. (Getty Images)
Josh Maja during his time with Sunderland. (Getty Images)

Should Morelos leave, Maja would be a good replacement based on his performances at Sunderland and Bordeaux, and would be a huge boost to Gerrard’s squad in their title pursuit next season. The Nigerian is just 21 and could also go on to represent the Scottish giants in the long run if he is able to replicate his good form.

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Verdict

At 21, Josh Maja has a lot of room for development and could be a key player for Gers in the future. Moreover, he would definitely add depth to the squad, whilst bringing in quality. Thus, Rangers must make a move for the London-born talent before the start of the new season.