Former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson thinks anyone interested in signing Alfredo Morelos this summer needs to offer far more than the reported £ 7 million on the table from Sevilla – as he pleaded with the Colombian not to make the same mistake he did.
Morelos is out of contract in 12 months’ time and the Spanish side are said to be keen on luring him away from Ibrox, although Rangers have dismissed any suggestions that a bid has been made.
However, even if they have, Ferguson thinks Rangers shouldn’t entertain a “lowball” offer when the Light Blues have their eyes set on the Champions League.
“The word is that Sevilla are willing to pay around €8million to pick him up this summer and although my maths have never been great I’m pretty sure that’s less than £7m in real money,” Ferguson said [Daily Record].
“Are they having a laugh? He might well be entering the final year of his deal but his goals would be worth far more than that if he fires Rangers into the Champions League group stage.
“So why on earth would the people in charge of my old club even think about entertaining such a lowball offer?”
Ferguson would ‘hate’ to see repeat of his botched Rangers exit
Ferguson’s ill-fated move to Blackburn still rankles with the former Ibrox captain and he’d “hate” for Morelos to repeat that and leave Rangers too early.
The Colombian turned 26 earlier this month and is seemingly well settled in Glasgow with his wife and young daughter.
With Rangers thought to be keen on offering a new deal to Morelos, Ferguson admits keeping El Bufalo around would be a “masterstroke”, adding: “I really believe he is happy and settled in Glasgow now where once he might have been in a rush to leave. He wouldn’t have thought twice about two or three years ago. But now it will be an absolute wrench.
“And if Rangers can persuade him to stick around on a new deal then the club will have pulled off a masterstroke because his best years are still to come.
“I’d hate to think he’d make the same mistake that I did and waste them away at some other place where he’ll never feel so happy again.”
In other news, Rangers star heads to London for talks ahead of £20million move