Cyriel Dessers, the Nigerian international striker who topped the Scottish Premiership scoring charts with 18 goals for Rangers, finds himself at a crossroads. Despite his prolific season, rumors of an impending departure from Ibrox have intensified, with Greek Super League champions, AEK Athens, emerging as the frontrunner to secure his signature. This potential transfer has sparked debate and speculation, but one voice advocating for the move is Paraskevas Polychronopoulos, a former fitness coach at Rangers who worked closely with Dessers. Polychronopoulos believes a switch to AEK Athens would be mutually beneficial for both the player and the club.
Polychronopoulos, drawing on his personal experience with Dessers, paints a picture of a player with exceptional character and professionalism. He emphasizes Dessers’ amiable nature, highlighting his constant smile and positive attitude as valuable assets. His consistent availability and resilience to injury are further commended, illustrating a player committed to his craft. While acknowledging that Dessers may not be the archetypal pressing forward or possess exceptional hold-up play, Polychronopoulos pinpoints his greatest strength: an innate ability to find the back of the net. He describes Dessers as a classic number 9, a player who instinctively positions himself to capitalize on scoring opportunities. This knack for being in the right place at the right time, combined with a clinical touch, makes him a potent goal-scoring threat.
Dessers’ versatility as a striker is further underscored by Polychronopoulos. He portrays Dessers as an unpredictable force, capable of scoring goals in a variety of ways. This adaptability, combined with his knack for positioning, makes him a challenging adversary for defenders. His impressive goal-scoring record at Rangers, finding the net in all competitions over two seasons, further strengthens this assessment. Polychronopoulos highlights Dessers’ experience, having played in various leagues across Europe, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and Scotland, as well as representing the Nigerian national team. This wealth of experience, coupled with his age, positions him as a player in his prime, ready to make an immediate impact.
Polychronopoulos argues that Dessers’ time at Rangers has further honed his abilities, particularly his resilience under pressure. Playing for a club with high expectations and intense scrutiny has prepared him for the demands of a competitive environment. He cites Dessers’ ability to thrive under these conditions as a testament to his mental fortitude. Additionally, his multilingualism is presented as an advantage, facilitating communication and integration within a new team. Polychronopoulos’ intimate knowledge of Dessers, gained during their time together at Ibrox, provides valuable insight into the player’s qualities and potential impact at AEK Athens.
The Greek connection further strengthens the case for Dessers’ move. Polychronopoulos, a Greek fitness coach himself, possesses an understanding of the Greek Super League and AEK Athens’ playing style. This perspective allows him to assess how Dessers’ attributes would mesh with the team’s dynamics. His eight-year tenure at Rangers, prior to his departure to join Leeds United in the English Premier League, provides further context to his assessment, demonstrating his familiarity with the demands of top-level football. This move to Leeds, now promoted to the Premier League for the 2025/2026 season, underscores Polychronopoulos’ own career progression and his continued involvement in high-performance football.
In summary, Polychronopoulos presents a compelling case for Dessers’ transfer to AEK Athens. He portrays Dessers not just as a prolific goalscorer, but as a well-rounded professional with the character, experience, and resilience to thrive in a new environment. His ability to consistently find the back of the net, combined with his adaptability and experience playing under pressure, makes him an attractive prospect for any club. Polychronopoulos’ endorsement, rooted in his personal experience working with Dessers, adds significant weight to the argument for this potential transfer. It remains to be seen whether Dessers will heed this advice and embark on a new chapter in his career in Greece, but the prospect of him joining AEK Athens is certainly one that has sparked interest and debate.
