Philippe Clement told Rangers fans to enjoy Hamza Igamane’s recent emergence as a star striker but admits the Moroccan is shaping up to be a valuable asset to the club in the future.
The 22-year-old has been a revelation since breaking into the side following his move from AS FAR last July for an undisclosed fee, reported to be around £1.7 million.
His superb hat-trick in the 3-3 draw against Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday made it 11 goals in 22 appearances.
Igamane’s profile and talent makes him perfect for the Ibrox club’s much-discussed player trading model which has yet to deliver regular profits for the Govan club.
Ahead of the William Hill Premiership game against Dundee on Thursday night, Clement acknowledged Igamane’s potential when asked if fans should perhaps not get too attached to their new hero.
The former Monaco, Club Brugge and Genk boss said: “No, they need to be attached because that helps the players. It gives a lot of energy and confidence.
“And we’re not the only club in the world who works like that, or has to work like that.
“It’s the world of football now and I had that a lot in my in my old clubs, when somebody can make a next step, a higher step and it’s beneficial for the club and the player. There’s no possibility to stop them.
“I saw (Aurelien) Tchouameni go to Real Madrid (from Monaco), Benoit Badiashile to Chelsea (from Monaco) or Charles de Ketelaere to AC Milan (from Club Brugge) or a lot of players in Genk also leaving to bigger clubs.
“So it’s part of the story. I’ve done it also as a player. So it’s normal in football.
“The other thing is, it’s important to know what is the right moment for the club and the player.
“That’s another thing and those are interesting things. That’s going to be something for the future for Hamza.
“I’m confident about that but not the near future.
“I think it’s important now that, if we want consistency, we’re not going to sell players who are performing well, otherwise it becomes even more difficult.”
