According to a recent report by the Daily Mail, as has been conveyed by the Scottish Sun, Ligue 1 giants Lille are said to be willing to pay in the region of £15m in an attempt to acquire the services of Rangers’ Colombian international striker Alfredo Morelos. The report suggests that the French club are willing to re-invest some of the £60m they have got from the recent sale of former attacker Victor Osimhen and that the Ibrox club could be forced to cash in on him if the right offer does arrive from the Ligue 1 side.
Although, as the report has clarified, Lille are interested in Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos, the Gers are said to be holding out until they receive a transfer fee in the region of £20m for their star striker. Lille manager Christophe Galtier is said to have a list of replacements already in place, and that Morelos is positioned pretty highly in his books.
The Ligue 1 side are already said to have made enquiries for KRC Genk’s Jonathan David and Red Bull Salzburg’s Patson Daka, but the asking price put forward by the two clubs have forced the gaffer to turn to Morelos instead.
What Has Morelos Achieved At Rangers Since Joining?
The 24-year-old initially arrived at the Premiership club as a relatively unknown quantity, albeit with a good prospect for growth. Having signed from HJK Helsinki in the summer of 2017, it’s safe to say that the Colombian has gone on to hit unexpected heights at the Ibrox stadium. Saying that the striker had an immediate impact after the switch would only be an understatement, as his first season in the Royal Blue kit yielded a stellar return of 14 goals and six assists from 32 league appearances.
Things only got better for the attacker from there as he slowly, but surely, nailed down the central striker’s role in Steven Gerrard’s ambitious Rangers setup. During the 18/19 campaign, the Colombian was nothing short of a revelation in front of goal, notching up impeccable numbers that read 17 goals and eight assists from just 27 outings. In the last campaign as well, although the forward displayed a slight dip in form during the second part, his numbers were impressive enough to guide the Gers to second place on the table.
What Is Rangers’ Current Striking Situation?
The Ibrox club currently boast two regular names in the central striker’s role, Alfredo Morelos and English veteran Jermain Defoe. Although the former has undoubtedly been the first-choice, the latter’s contributions throughout last season simply cannot be underplayed. Unfortunately for Gerrard, Defoe picked up an unexpected injury during their most recent friendly against Motherwell, thereby ruling him out for a prolonged duration in the coming weeks. Going into the season with Morelos as the only dependable option in front of goal could be bad enough, but if he were to end up leaving himself, then the Gers would find themselves in a sticky situation.
Lille Are Interested In Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos: Should Gerrard Cash In On Him?
While one section of Rangers fans might argue that the £15m-£20m transfer fee they get from Morelos’ sale could be enough to replace him, the sensible group would stand by the fact that the Colombian’s skills are essential to the Gers’ offensive playing style. Taking the 24-year-old’s various contributions over the last few seasons out of the side would’ve left this Rangers side in tatters, and unless they’re offered in the region of £25m for his services, Gerrard needn’t even consider cashing in on their main man.
