Rangers star Alfredo Morelos proved he was still the club’s top striker against Dundee United – presenting a transfer dilemma amid links to Mexican side Tigres.
Colombian forwards Alfie, 26, is out of contract in the summer and Rangers either need to tie the player down on a new deal or move him on in this window, otherwise they risk losing the player for nothing.
Mexican side Tigres have been linked with a move for Alfredo Morelos by reports coming out of the country [Telediario] as the club look for someone to partner veteran former French international Andre Pierre Gignac.
According to the report, Morelos is one of several players that fellow Latin Americans Tigres are tailing with countryman Rafael Santos Borre and Argentine Mateo Retegui also namechecked as options.
The links come as Alfredo Morelos continues to find something of recaptured form and focus under new manager Michael Beale with the contract situation rumbling away in the background.
At the club’s AGM, the suggestion was that Alfie’s wage demands are too high and there is barely a bear in Ibrox who’d agree that the player’s recent performances are deserving of a salary bump.
But that doesn’t mean that Rangers should be in a hurry to move the striker on to recoup something in January.
Rangers may get better Alfredo Morelos value by resisting Tigres interest
Having spent £1m to sign the striker from HJK Helsinki in 2017 – and having rejected a reported £16.25m from Lille in 2020 – there’s an argument here that the club have maximised their investment.
Alfredo Morelos has 117 goals and 53 assists in 249 Rangers appearances and we bet there is barely a fan or football finance guru out there who wouldn’t agree that this was good business.
This may be at the forefront of the club’s thinking now Rangers have to decide to either move Alfredo Morelos on this window amid links to the likes of Tigres or lose him for nothing in the summer.
That’s if the forward isn’t prepared to pen a new deal at the club in the next few months.
When you also include the fact that in the 2-0 win over Dundee United, Rangers looked a much better team with the Colombian on the park compared to Antonio Colak, the dilemma deepens.
El Bufalo has played that lone striker role expertly for Rangers and slots into Michael Beale’s thinking very well, as proven by his second half display at Tannadice.
It suggests that whilst Rangers look to gain ground in the Scottish Premiership and lift both cups in Scotland, they might be better holding on to the Colombian for now even if it means losing him for nothing in a few months’ time.
Meanwhile, new Rangers signings appear imminent.