Portuguese club FC Porto haven’t given up on Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos – and could reignite reported interest if the Gers fail to make the Champions League.
That’s according to reports in Portugal, with Correio da Manhã via Sports Witness also claiming that Porto will “never” reach Rangers’ demands of €15m (£12.7m) with add-ons.
That report claims that Porto will hope to use their Champions League status for season 21/22 as a potential golden carrot for Morelos should the Gers fail to make the group stages.
This report comes after a few months of transfer links between Morelos and Porto which even drew the ire of Ibrox gaffer Steven Gerrard.
Alfie is still to report for pre-season training after a summer at the Copa America and some downtime back home in Colombia.
The constant speculation appears a near-perpetual distraction and Gers manager Gerrard took aim at those pushing the interest.
Former Rangers chairman Dave King has also been claiming in the press that Rangers are under no pressure to sell Alfredo Morelos or any of the club’s top assets this season.
The Gers are hoping for a shot at Champions League glory and even if it isn’t achieved this season, King believes that there’s no need to sell Alfie.
“I don’t get the sense that even though they’ve brought players in I don’t there is any desperate need to sell Morelos, for example,” said Dave King [Rangers Connection Podcast].
“I think it will purely be a footballing decision. Steven can decide whether keeping Morelos is more beneficial than accepting a certain offer and recycling that money into strengthening the team.
“That’s where Rangers are right now which makes it so exciting.”
At present Alfredo continues to train ahead of the new season and was even snapped running around a hotel car park as his quarantine in returning to Scotland continues.
Amid all the speculation, a leading Scottish football journalist has also been claiming that the striker himself is “up for the fight” at Rangers regardless of the club’s European status.
