Can Rangers afford to let 'brilliant' Dessers go?

The curious case of Cyriel Dessers continues to intrigue.

On Tuesday, the Rangers striker announced his arrival under Russell Martin's rule in the emphatic 3-0 Champions League qualifying first-leg win over Viktoria Plzen.

Time and again he has been written off in his Rangers career. This was perhaps a reminder of just what he can offer and how he might be of value within a new style of play at Ibrox.

His coolness to convert the penalty for the second, after a long-delay just before half-time, demonstrated the value of his experience and the character he possesses to shut out everything around him and deliver.

He has a lot of experience of that in his Rangers career.

More than that, he looked every bit the focal point up top that Rangers seek, to bring their attacking threat together.

So is the Nigerian striker now a key part of the puzzle having seemed likely to depart?

A slight injury has curtailed Dessers' start to this campaign, but his head coach was full of praise at his display, while critical of others, after coming on as a substitute in the disappointing opening-day Premiership draw against Motherwell.

He was given the platform to build on that against Plzen, replacing the ineffective Danilo, and seized on his chance.

This, after a summer of speculation over his future.

Martin confirmed at the weekend that the only player the club have received a bid for in this window is Cyriel Dessers and, on the evidence of this performance, interest might not end there.

Martin described his performance as both "amazing" and "brilliant," which suggests he sees value in retaining him at Ibrox.

"I thought he was great tonight," he said.

"We had a really good chat yesterday about what he needs to bring to the team, and he took the ball in well, the guys found him a lot in the first half, I feel we could have found him more and played off him a bit more, but I thought he was brilliant."

Neil McCann is well-placed to evaluate Dessers' worth, having worked closely with the striker in his time at Ibrox during Barry Ferguson's interim tenure at the club last term.

During that spell, Dessers finished the season very strongly netting in every post-split fixture in the Premiership run-in, with six goals in the final five games.

That sort of consistency would suit any club, but the criticism has come from a perceived wastefulness in front of goal and tendency to be unable to bring others into play effectively.

"I believe he makes Rangers a better side," the former Rangers winger said.

"Dessers has to stay at the club. He's a goal threat. He's the main man to play number nine.

"He looks the part now and has some belief about him. You need that attitude and belief in the dressing room, it rubs off on the other players.

"A year ago I would've let him go but I've changed my mind now."

They show he gets goals. Twenty nine of them last season is the type of return that would seem almost irreplaceable. Only Celtic's Daizen Maeda topped that.

Overall, Dessers has 52 goals in 113 games for Rangers. That's come from starts in 80 of those games with a goal every 134 minutes.

He also has a habit of scoring big goals in big games as last season demonstrates.

A last-minute equaliser away to Dynamo Kyiv in Champions League qualifying. Another equaliser to earn a point away to Olympiakos in the Europa League. A fine leveller again at Old Trafford against Manchester United in the 88th minute, only to succumb to Bruno Fernandes' late winner.

Then the opener away to Jose Mourniho's Fenerbache in a fine 3-1 win that helped Rangers ease through to the quarter-finals.

One big criticism seems to be centred around one stat. Shot conversion. In plain English, he missed chances, regularly.

Dessers' shot conversion rate is just 20.2% or 1 in 5. Many feel it's that wastefulness in front of goal that's the problem.

It's a subject Dessers himself has repeatedly addressed in his Rangers career. Missing chances.

Notably, after his goal in the 1-1 draw away to Olympiakos, he said: "That's the life of a striker. Who am I as Cyriel Dessers not to miss chances? You're always going to miss more than you score.

"If I would score three chances at every game then I will probably not be at Rangers either.

"You just have to keep going."

That attitude has been enduring and may result in an extension to his Rangers career but would that be the right move for him and the club?

The early evidence is Martin is impressed.

The former Rangers winger Peter Lovenkrands equally so, after his impact against Plzen.

"It'll be tough if Dessers goes," he told BBC Scotland.

"He needed to step up before half-time and he did that. If he goes, it'll be a blow until there's a replacement.

"He has faced a lot of criticism but he fits into the team really well."

Dessers has two years remaining on his contract at Ibrox and turns 31 in December.

To replace him might cost, although uncertainty remains about Hamza Igamane's future having been linked with moves himself.

To counter that, this window, or next, might be the last opportunity for Rangers to receive a sizable fee given his age and contract duration.

From Dessers' own point of view, might he want a fresh start having undoubtedly felt under-appreciated at times?

It's a tough call whether to stick or twist with a striker who has a tendency to frustrate and bounce back in equal measure.