Since Michael Beale let several players to depart on free transfers last summer, Glasgow Rangers lost some important and seasoned players.
Allan McGregor, Scott Arfield, Filip Helander, Ryan Kent, and Alfredo Morelos all left at the conclusion of their contracts, even though it may not have been the manager’s decision for each of them.
The club may look back on Morelos in particular with regret as they did not take full advantage of his enormous market value at one point.
For several years at Ibrox, the Colombian striker was a deadly and dependable goal scorer. He was previously linked to a high-profile departure from Scotland, but he ultimately left for nothing last summer.
Failure to transfer Alfredo Morelos
Hebei China, a Chinese team, was reportedly eager to sign the attacker from the Scottish powerhouses and was prepared to pay the club’s asking price of more than £15 million in the summer of 2019, according to a report from Sky Sports.
Hebei was willing to spend a large sum of money on the number nine, offering him a deal worth £10 million a year before taxes, but the Gers demanded a fee above £15 million. It was alleged, meanwhile, that Morelos ultimately declined the relocation.
| Alfredo Morelos | Rangers |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 269 |
| Goals | 124 |
| Assists | 58 |
| Stats via Transfermarkt | |
The next year, prior of the 2020–21 season, Ligue 1 team Lille made an attempt to capture the excellent ace, but the Light Blues rejected their offer of £16.25 million, stating that they were hoping to get closer to £20 million.
After that deal was turned down, the Daily Mail reported that the French team was thinking of giving up on Morelos, who scored double figures in league goals in six seasons with the team. It appears that this was the case as Steven Gerrard managed to keep onto his star player.
Rangers rejected a sale and paid the price when he was eventually released in 2023, even though they had a team willing to spend more than £16 million to sign him.
Now, Alfredo Morelos competes in the second division.
The 27-year-old signed with Brazilian team Santos in September 2023, but in his three Serie A appearances that season, he was unable to contribute a goal or an assist, and his team was demoted to the Serie B.
Currently playing football in Brazil’s second division, Morelos hopes to help Santos make a trip back to the top level in the 2024 campaign.
The former Rangers star, who was once referred to as a “nightmare” to defend against by an unnamed Scottish Premiership defender, has fallen from grace. At the age of 27, when he should be in his prime, he is now playing in a lower division.
With the luxury of hindsight, the Gers lost out on millions when they declined Lille’s offer of more than £16 million in the summer of 2020.
Rangers might have believed that the French side would make larger offers, or that his value would keep rising in the coming years.
Rather, no deal to leave Ibrox ever happened, and they lost the talented striker for £0 before the 2023–24 season, which they may look back on as a major mistake.
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