Anderlecht's Francis Amuzu pictured during a soccer match between RSC Anderlecht and KV Oostende, Tuesday 15 December 2020 in Brussels, on day 18 of the 'Jupiler Pro League' first division of the Belgian championship. BELGA PHOTO VIRGINIE LEFOUR (Photo by VIRGINIE LEFOUR/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
According to claims from Belgian outlet Voetbal 24 (h/t Scottish Sun), Rangers have been linked with a move for Anderlecht winger Francis Amuzu as Steven Gerrard looks to bolster his squad.
As per the report, the Gers were interested in a deal for the youngster last summer and are preparing to come back with an offer that Anderlecht simply can’t refuse. However, the Ghanaian-born starlet is unlikely to come cheap, considering that he has a long-term contract until 2024.
Born in Accra, the capital of Ghana, Francis Amuzu moved to Belgium as a youngster and rose through the ranks of Anderlecht. He signed his first professional contract in 2015 and made his competitive debut in the top-flight against Eupen back in December 2017.
The 21-year-old has established himself as a key squad player for Anderlecht over the past few years. Amuzu has amassed 6 goals and 7 assists in 85 appearances for the Belgian heavyweights in all competitions so far. The highly-rated left-winger has featured in 18 out of 23 league fixtures for Vincent Kompany’s side so far this season.
After showing great potential for Belgium’s U-19 side, Amuzu made his breakthrough for the U-21s back in 2018. He has scored twice from 14 caps at that level.
Rangers are pretty well-stocked in their options up top, especially after the acquisition of Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten this past summer. While Itten has only played a bit-part role so far, Roofe has established himself as a key player for Gerrard with his versatility to play through the middle and out wide on the flanks.
Having said that, however, the Gers can certainly do with some upgrades to their forward line with an eye on the future. Ryan Kent has been instrumental in Rangers’ raging success on all fronts this season but the former Liverpool man remains the only reliable option for Gerrard down the left.
With Brandon Barker, Greg Stewart and Jordan Jones offering very little as back-ups, the Ibrox giants should look for better alternatives to reduce the workload on Kent. He has clearly been overburdened with the responsibility of playing week in week out, meaning Gerrard needs to reshape his options to ensure better competition for places.
Kent has enjoyed an impressive rise in Scottish football after being plucked out as an outcast from Liverpool. Young and pacey with plenty of room for development, Francis Amuzu looks like a player in a similar mould.
The Belgian is yet to live up to his promise in Belgium but there have been obvious signs to suggest that he’s capable of hitting great heights in the years to come.
Having already played more than 80 games for Anderlecht, Francis Amuzu could well prove to be an upgrade on underachievers like Jones, Barker and Stewart at Ibrox.