There have been conflicting reports emerging regarding high-profile FC Porto interest in Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.
Porto have been extensively linked with a move for the Colombian striker this week but commentary has largely revolved around the price Rangers want for the forward.
However, A Bola – a Portuguese outlet who has covered this story extensively – claimed yesterday that the two clubs had agreed a deal for the player.
This, according to that report, would involve a fee starting at €12m (£10.3m) which could potentially rise to €17m (£14.6m) with add-ons, negotiated by Morelos’ agent Michael Gorman.
However, Rangers manager Steven Gerrard would then give an interview to RangersTV where he discussed Morelos’ presence at the Copa America.
The Ibrox gaffer certainly didn’t sound resigned to losing the player and claimed the club is looking to get him up to speed ahead of the kick off to next season.
“We all know how proud Alfredo is to represent Colombia,” Gerrard told RangersTV.
“He’s on the other side of the world but we’ve still got eyes on him and we’re still in contact with him.
“When he finishes at the tournament he’ll have a short break and then he’ll come back to join us for the rest of pre-season and we’ll try and get him ready for game one as well.
“It’s important that he does the right things when he stops until he comes back because he’ll have a very short pre-season and we need Alfredo to be fit and firing for the games coming our way.”
Then there were a series of reports coming out Portugal which suggested Porto were assessing other options with Rangers standing firm over their valuation of the striker.
Jornal de Noticias claim that the Portuguese giants also have an eye on Manchester City youngster Lukas Nmecha, who has just returned from a loan spell at Anderlecht and has also been linked to RB Leipzig.
Eldesmarques have also linked Porto with a move for Real Sociedad’s Willian Jose, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Wolves and who is unhappy in Spain.
However, just when fans though interest in Alfie may well be cooling Turkish football journalist Ekrem Konur claimed that Porto have now officially lodged a bid.
https://twitter.com/Ekremkonur/status/1411366115339653128
This was then ratified by a local Portuguese journalist by the name of Pedro Almeida.
The situation certainly doesn’t leave Rangers fans any the wiser regarding Alfie’s position but it’s clear that so long as he remains a Gers player, the club intends on using him.
But should Porto make their interest serious, then Rangers must set a transfer precedent by sticking true to their demands over their prized asset.
