Three-way fight for £6m Morelos
Turks, Chinese and French target Ibrox striker
RANGERS striker Alfredo Morelos is a £6million target for clubs in Turkey, China and France. Sportsmail understands that representatives for the striker are aware of interest in the Colombian (below) and expect firm offers in the coming weeks, although Ibrox sources have dismissed reports in the Turkish media of a bid from Fenerbahce.
Rangers turned down a bid of £8m from Beijing Renhe earlier this year but, despite signing a new contract until 2021, the 21-year-old was unsettled towards the end of a debut season in which he scored 18 goals.
Steven Gerrard is currently in the market for forward reinforcements, with the future of loan striker Jason Cummings also unclear.
While that search continues, the new manager believes new signing Connor Goldson will help stop the leaking of goals at the other end of the park.
Gerrard inherited a squad which conceded more than any of their top-six rivals last term.
But the former Liverpool and England skipper has made sorting that problem his No 1 priority, splashing out a combined £5m to land Goldson and Croatia international Nikola Katic.
‘We’ve assessed the areas where we are strong, where we need to tweak and need to improve,’ said Gerrard, speaking to Rangers TV. ‘Centre-back (was one such) area. Russell Martin went back, Bruno Alves is at the World Cup, David Bates left on a free and that was an area where we needed players but players who fit the profile, who are hungry, who want to come in and defend this badge with their life.
‘That was the message when we spoke to these players, it’s not about coming to Rangers and being a Rangers player.
‘It’s about coming and being a Rangers player and then defending the shirt with their life and both Katic and Goldson are right up for that challenge, which excites me.
‘They are different in terms of age and experience. Nikola is very inexperienced in terms of number of games but in terms of potential and profile he ticked every box — and he’s really looking forward to coming out to Spain and getting going and getting his fitness. ‘In terms of Connor, he’s ready to go. He’s had a frustrating couple of years in terms of being a back-up player at Brighton. ‘But he doesn’t see himself as a back-up player and neither do I. I see him as a leader, a starter and someone who can cajole the defence and take ownership of that. He’s as hungry as anyone to get going.’ Gerrard has also signed off moves for Allan McGregor, Scott Arfield and Jamie Murphy as well as a loan swoop for Liverpool kid Ovie Ejaria. But he told the Ibrox support that his recruitment work is far from complete. He said: ‘The centre-back area is one we had to move quickly on, try and get a head start on just because of the changes and the dynamics but we’re looking to strengthen every area.
‘Every area we feel like we can improve we’ll pounce and we’ll do it.’
Gerrard knows Ejaria well from his stint working in Liverpool’s youth academy but he hinted the England Under-20s World Cup winner will be phased in gradually.
‘I think with Ovie it’s important the crowd give him a bit of time to come up and adapt to the surroundings,’ he said.
‘In terms of talent, in getting fans on the edge of their seats, in terms of someone who has tons of ability and is waiting for people to admire it, we feel he is ready to burst but he will have to be managed and put in at the right time.
‘But he’s one we’re confident can excite the fans here and that’s what the fans want here.’
Gerrard, meanwhile, has continued his clear-out of the football department by releasing head of analysis Neil McIlhargey.
Recruited by Mark Warburton in October 2015 to study future opponents, the former Brentford analyst was told on Wednesday his services were no longer required.
The Liverpool icon has already appointed Gary McAllister, Michael Beale and Tom Culshaw to his backroom team, with Jordan Milsom appointed head of performance.