According to a recent report from AS Diario, Atletico Madrid have set their sights on Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos. The report mentions that Atletico are interested in the ‘New Falcao’. Radamel Falcao spent the best years of his career with Atletico Madrid, and it is understandable why Morelos is being compared to him.
The 23-year-old was in terrific form in the first half of the season for the Gers. Morelos has 29 goals and ten assists to his name in all competitions this campaign. The Colombian though has struggled for form since the winter break, and he has managed just one goal since the turn of the year.
Rangers are again likely to come up short against Celtic in the title race unless there is enormous turnaround when the season resumes. Many believe that Rangers should look to part ways with Morelos and use that fund to rebuild the squad again for the upcoming season.
The Daily Mail claims that Atletico are valuing the striker around £10-15m. To be fair, Morelos’ price must have taken a hit after his performances in the last two months as his finishing touch has been dismal. However, it cannot still be denied that he has had a terrific season so far.
What should Gerrard do?
If Morelos can find his form for the rest of the season, then Gerrard would be in a much better position to negotiate a higher price for him when the transfer window starts. The Colombian is tied at Ibrox until 2023 and reports had emerged that Rangers were looking to get him on a new deal again.
It is probably being done to increase his market value further as nobody believes that Morelos would stay at Rangers for the next 3-4 years. It remains to be seen whether Gerrard would be willing to cash in on him this summer. The new contract talks have also not been heard about in the last few weeks even before the coronavirus pandemic hit.
On his day, the Colombian can be unplayable as he can do almost everything on the pitch which a manager would need from a striker. He is strong and physical in his duels. He never allows the defenders to settle and he is always probing to make runs in the final third. Morelos can come up short to hold the ball and link up play along with coming on the flanks to affect the game. With more composure, there is no doubt that the former HJK Helsinki ace could improve further. One can understand why someone like Simeone would want to have him in his repertoire.
We think that if Rangers can get around £20-25m for him in the summer then, they should look to offload the striker and invest the funds smartly to build a more balanced squad.
