KEEP STARS... HIT JACKPOT
League riches as the rewards are even greater next season.
Scotland’s champions will go straight into the group stage in a year’s time and Hutton would love to see Gerrard’s top assets remain at the club to make it two in a row.
The 50-times capped Scot was sold to Spurs for £9million in January 2008 – and that is still a record 13 years on.
Hutton is convinced in-demand stars such as Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Glen Kamara will shatter the sum eventually but they will be vital in the quest to retain the title.
He said: “You see a lot of talk about Rangers missing out on the Champions League so they’ll need to sell players.
“I don’t think it will be like that off the bat.
“They will want to keep the core together who got them into this position because if they win the league this year they go straight in to the group stage.
“It’s massive. There is the Champions League money right away so I think they should do their best to hold on to their best players a little longer.
“Look, none of us are daft. If the right fee comes in for one of the top assets they are going to consider it.
“That’s part of football in Scotland. You can’t turn down £10m-plus bids.
“The Alfredo Morelos stuff doesn’t go away and there are other clubs sniffing around other players but that’s normal.
“The one thing I would have changed is I wouldn’t have left in the January, I would have waited until the summer.
“Hopefully they can keep them for another 12 months and see where it takes us.”
Hutton is stunned his fee is still the benchmark but he believes it won’t last much longer as Rangers have got the model right for building the club.
The Ibrox side suffered for a decade but they have risen again under Gerrard and now have numerous assets that can be moved on for huge profits.
Colombian hitman Morelos is being chased by long-term suitors Porto, with Fenerbahce also sniffing around, while Kent has Leeds on his tail and there is interest from around Europe in midfielder Kamara.
Hutton added: “It’s crazy that record still stands. The money in football now is beyond belief and I’m sure there will be bids of more than that for these guys.
“The record will go. The money is only going one way and players like Kent, there was talk of Leeds seeing a £14m bid knocked back – and Morelos is another one.
“We know how good he can be as we saw it in the Malmo game.
“If the figures are right Rangers will take it seriously. That’s how Rangers – and Celtic – have to work.
“They need to polish up some rough diamonds and make a profit. It’s worked for both in the past.
“A little more pressure might fall on Rangers to balance the books.
“But if they can get £15m-plus for Morelos then they can reinvest it in the team.
“But ideally it’s down the line.”
Hutton’s interview was in association with Coffee Friend, an international retailer for coffee and coffee machines.