Glasgow Rangers boss Steven Gerrard believes the club are not “totally through the woods” when it comes to Alfredo Morelos’ future, but the Gers must keep him at all costs.
What’s the word?
According to The Glasgow Times, Gerrard admitted the ordeal is far from over. He said: “On many occasions, it was a thing I had to manage from day to day because I didn’t know myself whether there was going to be a bid for him or whether he was going to be sold.
“He’s a fantastic player and he’s still in the door. So we will use that to our benefit. How long he is going to be here for I don’t know. There are still certain windows open so I don’t think we are totally out of the woods just yet.
“But from a selfish point of view, I want as many good players available to me from now till the end of the season as I can because it will give me a better chance of being successful. Selfishly, I am happy.”
Much has been made of Morelos’ future at the Ibrox outfit after Rangers rejected an approach from an unnamed Serie A side for the 6-cap Colombia international in the summer. It’s claimed that he wants a brand new contract in return for his loyalty, and Ross Wilson must offer him a bumper new deal to fend off interest from elsewhere.
McCoist 2.0?
Morelos, who is rated at £20m according to The Daily Record, may have been unable to get rid of his derby duck but this didn’t stop him from finishing on the winning side on Saturday. He somehow evaded even a caution after four fouls in the first half.
Speaking to The Sunday Post, Fabio Capello called him an “excellent” player amid interest from AC Milan. The former England manager said “From what I have seen of Morelos myself, I think he is a very strong player, both physically and technically.
“I know the club very well. Ricky Massara and Paolo Maldini (the club’s sporting and technical directors) are very good at their jobs, and if they are following him, then I am sure they consider him to be an excellent player.”
Standing at 1.77m tall, the Colombian is hardly an imposing figure, but he has shown that he is more than capable of holding his own. In fact, Ally McCoist, who is the club’s top goalscorer, was also famous for his aggressive style of play. The legendary Scotsman, who is only slightly taller at 1.78m tall, scored 21 goals in 56 games in Europe.
It’d be a bit of a stretch to say that Morelos is on the same level as McCoist, but he certainly seems to be on the right track. He scored a double in the 5-0 second qualifying round win over Lincoln Red Imps, which means that he has now scored 20 goals in the Europa League over the last three seasons.
Every great forward needs confidence, that’s for sure. The confidence to score goals, the confidence to challenge for the ball, the confidence to confront defenders – these are all of the key ingredients for a successful centre forward. Morelos isn’t exactly of short of confidence, as he has shown on multiple occasions so far.
It’s hard to remember the last time Rangers had a truly world-class player within their ranks. Morelos might not be there just yet, as he still has to work on some aspects of his game. But that doesn’t mean that he isn’t all that far away from being considered to be one of the best centre-forwards in the world.
At any rate, if the Gers are to regain their title, we suspect the Colombian will play his part. Get it done, Gers!
AND in other news, Rangers must keep James Tavernier after Celtic masterclass…
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