According to the latest reports from the Sun, Crystal Palace are plotting a £20m swoop for Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos. Reports add that Palace’s Sporting Director Dougie Freedman was in Tynecastle recently to see the striker in action.
Morelos didn’t disappoint as he put in a good shift and scored the equaliser for Rangers in the tie which ended 1-1. It is believed that Palace will look to make a move in January for the Colombian centre forward.
Premier League club Aston Villa are also credited with an interest for the forward. Morelos has iterated several times in the past that moving to the Premier League is his dream. Steven Gerrard will not welcome any bids for his star man in January, but it remains to be seen how the Gers’ management team would react if an actual offer of £20m arrives in the winter transfer period.
Gerrard has always maintained that all his players are for sale but only for the right price. However, we think that he is unlikely to send away his best player midway through the season when we have a tight title race on our hands. That would enrage the fans to no end, and the manager probably realises that having played at the top level.
How has Morelos improved?
Morelos has been banging goals for fun ever since his arrival at Ibrox. However, the 22-year-old has shown maturity this season as he has avoided needless altercations with the referees and the opposition. He still plays with his usual feistiness, but he has worked on his temperament over the summer as he has looked a lot calmer.
That was probably one of his biggest hindrances this summer, and maybe that is why prospective buyers didn’t come with a significant bid. However, now that he has shown maturity, clubs seem to be lining up for him in January.
Time for Gerrard to show his man-management skills
With Rangers fighting for the title, we expect Gerrard to convince Morelos to stay atleast until the end of the season. However, one never knows how the player would react if Palace or Villa show concrete interest in him in January.
Gerrard will have to prove his man-management skills to keep Morelos’ head from turning and make him believe that he could achieve something special with Rangers this season. At Palace or Villa, he will initially have to fight for his place, and he might struggle for game time.
