ALF LIKE A YOUNG SUAREZ
From Back Page application fast-tracked in time to make his debut in the Europa League qualifier against Luxembourg side Progres Niederkorn later this month.
But yesterday he had a 17-minute cameo as a substitute in Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Welsh outfit The New Saints behind closed doors at the Auchenhowie training complex.
And as soon as the ink had dried on the contract Morelos, 20, was being compared to a young Luis Suarez who arrived in Europe from Uruguay as a teenager before blasting his way to fame and fortune at Ajax, Liverpool and Barcelona.
The player’s adviser Jonne Lindblom – who brought Morelos to HJK Helsinki from Medellin as a 19 yearold – told Record Sport: “Rangers are getting an extremely talented young player who is hungry to do well. I know he will end up playing in one of the big four or five leagues in the future.
“His scoring record is really impressive. He’s a brilliant finisher, he’s strong, he’s technical, he works hard and he’s improving all the time. That’s why I expect he’ll go even further than Rangers.
“There was interest from all around Europe but we wanted to be careful with the next step. As soon as we found out the interest from Rangers we quite quickly figured out that was the perfect club for him to take the next step.
“In terms of his style of play he reminds me a bit of Suarez. Obviously only one of them is a world class player but in terms of how he controls the ball, how he shoots in really small spaces without needing a lot of time. Once he gets the ball at his feet inside the box he will shoot and usually scores.
“But the most interesting thing is what every defender in Finland has been saying is that, for a boy who has only just turned 20, he’s really strong. I don’t think he’ll have any problems adapting to the physical side of Scottish football.”
Lindblom revealed the length Morelos went to in order to get his paperwork rubber-stamped in time.
He said: “It’s been a tough week for him because of the work permit situation. He ended up having to fly to Paris because that was the only UK Embassy where he could get a permanent visa through in 24 hours.
“It’s not ideal to fly from Helsinki to Edinburgh then to Paris and back again but we did what we had to do to get the deal done before the European deadline. He’s extremely happy and excited about joining.”
Morelos said: “I did some research on the internet about the history and games – I know it’s a really big club and they’ve played in big tournaments.
“As a No. 9 I can hold off defenders, I’m mobile in and around the box, I’m strong up-front and quick. The most important thing is I score goals, when the opportunity is there, I score.
“I’m really motivated and pleased to start training and matches here at Rangers.”
Morelos had little time to make an impact yesterday after coming off the bench to replace Kenny Miller in the friendly. Rangers took the lead after a Dalcio cross was turned into his own goal by a TNS defender but the Welsh team equalised. AEL Limassol have been champions of Cyprus on six occasions with their last triumph coming in 2011-12.
The club, who play at the 13,331-capacity Tsirion Stadium, have also won their national cup competition six times.
Limassol were dumped out at the play-off round of the Europa League by a Harry Kane-inspired Tottenham in 2014-15. The Cypriots were beaten 5-1 on aggregate after taking the lead in the tie.
Earlier that season they had famously defeated Zenit St Petersburg 1-0 at home in Champions League qualifying but it all ended in tears as they were totally dismantled in the return leg with the Russians winning 3-0. FORMED in 1912 St Joseph’s are one of Gibraltar’s oldest clubs.
They have been regulars in the Premier Division in that time but have only won the title once, in 1995-96.
They have had better luck in the Rock Cup with nine wins in their history, including a league and cup double in 1996.
After Gibraltar joined UEFA, Saints had mixed fortunes, just avoiding relegation in 2013-14 by winning a play-off.
Since then they have always finished in the top half of the league and in 2017 qualified for the Europa League for the first time with a third-place finish.
Like all Gibraltar clubs they play in the Victoria Stadium – the venue for Celtic’s 1-0 defeat by Lincoln Red Imps last year.