Alfredo Morelos only left Rangers a few months ago but the Santos striker is already planning a ‘return to Europe’ with Russian Premier League champions Zenit St Petersburg.
The Colombia international signed a two-year contract with Santos when joining the Brazilian outfit on a free transfer at the start of September. You’d get long odds, however, on Alfredo Morelos remaining at the Vila Belmiro until 2025.
Because, speaking to Russian publication Sport24, Morelos’ agent is already setting out plans for another move on the other side of Christmas. The former Ibrox hero held talks with Spartak Moscow before his Rangers deal expired, and Russia remains the dream destination for a player who now has his heart set on a switch to perennial RPL champions Zenit.
Ex Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos wants Russia move
“Our plans for the winter? A return to Europe – to Russia – would be absolutely wonderful,” Martin Camano explains.
“We want to move to a team like Zenit, for example. We’ll see closer (to the time).”
Morelos is yet to make an impact at Santos. He has played just twice, both appearances coming off the bench, and has not scored a goal in Brazil’s Serie A.
Should Rangers’ all-time leading European marksman end up at Zenit’s Gazprom Arena, meanwhile, he will find himself in direct competition with a striker who could have become a team-mate of Morelos’ at Rangers back in 2022.
Morelos vs Cassierra at Zenit
Giovanni van Bronckhorst reportedly wanted Mateo Cassierra – a player he knew from his time in the Eredivisie – before Morelos’ Colombian compatriot left FC Sochi for Zenit in a £4 million deal.
With nine goals in nine RPL appearances, Cassierra is now the league’s top scorer. And a word of warning for Morelos; he will take some shifting.
“Mateo scored a lot at FC Sochi. At Zenit things went badly at first, but Mateo trained well and does a lot of work. He presses and, as a forward, he is equipped with everything. Execution and technique,” Igor Simutenkov, Zenit’s assistant coach, tells Sport24.
“When you don’t score for a long time, it’s depressing. He was probably very worried, but he tried. I was sure that, this season, Cassierra would finally break through.”
