Tragic: £4m ex-Rangers star returns to haunt Steven Gerrard and leave mouthy ex-Celtic icon in dust
Fashion Sakala, a forward from Zambia, was upfront about Steven Gerrard’s involvement in the deal when he signed with Rangers.
Towards the end of the summer of 2021, the Ibrox team managed to secure a pre-contract deal for the KV Oostende forward, reportedly turning down offers from the south and from France.
Fashion Sakala spent more than two years in Glasgow winning over Rangers supporters, but he missed several significant opportunities while wearing a blue jersey.
Following a £4 million summer transfer to Al-Fayha, Saudi Arabia, the now 27-year-old has been establishing himself as a prominent figure in the Gulf Kingdom.
But as Fashion Sakala returned to haunt his former coach in Saudi Arabia, we bet Steven Gerrard will be wishing the player he recruited to Rangers had left his shooting boots behind.
Double downs from Sakala Dembele & Gerrard Fashion In the Saudi Pro League, Al-Fayha defeated Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq 2-1 thanks to two goals from Jnr.
Fashion’s remarkable Pro League comeback continues as they score two goals in succession, one of which comes from former Celtic striker Moussa Dembele. This takes them to 16 points in the league and 19 points overall.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, 29), Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al-Hilal, 23), and Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Ittihad, 19) have scored more goals while playing in the Pro League this season.
On the other hand, our guy Fashion has left mouthy former Celtic striker Dembele, who frequently riles Gers supporters on social media, in the dust.
Only 11 league goals have been scored by the French forward so far this season.
As a result, Al-Fayha and Al-Ettifaq are now tied for 41 points in the Saudi Pro League standings.
With just four games remaining, it seems that former Rangers manager Gerrard and attacker Sakala are relegated to a mediocre league table spot at their respective teams.
Had the Rangers decided to sell Zambian forward?
A few Rangers supporters may be wondering if the team made the correct choice in selling the forward in light of Fashion Sakala’s performance in Saudi Arabia.
Despite his shortcomings in the closing third, Fashion was a dangerous and often deadly player who frequently missed major chances or tripped over his feet due to his excessive desire to advance.
It was thought that Sakala could be a major contributor for the Rangers if someone could reach that last aspect of his game, but sadly, it was not to be.
Sakala was sold in the summer by manager Michael Beale, who at first said Fashion and his family couldn’t refuse the money offered. However, there is a cloud around Sakala’s departure.
The forward from Zambia would subsequently say that Beale made him practice by himself before forcing him to leave Ibrox, and that he really never wanted to leave the team.
Fashion Sakala will always be welcome to return as a guest or fan of Rangers Football Club, regardless of the circumstances.
While Sakala’s stint in Glasgow was marred by regrets, it’s encouraging to see the quick forward making a mark in Saudi Arabia. Sakala also made a strong impression at Ibrox.
