A title bid is vital if Gerrard really wants to keep hold of Morelos
THe pantomime season is in full swing. And Alfredo Morelos has replaced Moussa dembele as this year’s star turn.
For two years, the former Celtic striker was the source of relentless speculation. transfer windows opened and people wondered if this was the one. the time when Celtic bowed to the inevitable.
the Parkhead board were willing to sell dembele to Brighton last January. He didn’t want to go. By August, he clearly did want to leave for Lyon and he kicked up merry hell to make sure it happened.
the corrosive effect on Celtic was clear. they had no time to find a replacement and the entire business finished up a damaging, bloody mess.
All of which raises the question: When will rangers dare to sell Morelos? Spare us the notion that directors haven’t given it a thought. If that’s the case, they’re not doing their jobs properly.
Steven Gerrard declared his man love for Morelos this week, crowning him rangers’ answer to Luis Suarez.
A fiery South American who plays on the edge, the Colombian has scored 16 goals in 27 games this season. And his manager claims he is willing to fall out with the club hierarchy if that’s what it takes to keep him.
the rangers board must have heard the warning shot from the other side of Glasgow.
THere is never a perfect time to sell a star striker. No good time to bury bad news. No single moment when the directors, manager and fans receive the right bid at just the right time and reach a unanimous agreement.
the Glasgow clubs go through the motions of public defiance; pretending they’re not and never will be a selling club and will only flog their best players for top dollar.
But the SPFL Premiership is no land of milk and honey. every player is up for grabs; if the cash is right.
For Celtic or rangers or any other Scottish club, the sale of a predatory goalscorer is not only likely. It’s both inevitable and right.
What the manager thinks should always be a factor; but directors have the final say. And if Liverpool couldn’t hold on to Suarez, what hope do rangers have of clinging on to Morelos?
Last year, chairman dave King resisted strong interest from China. In August, dynamo Kiev were prepared to pay £7million to sign the player, while Bordeaux were also interested.
A 22-year-old Colombian international, rangers think the striker’s value will only go higher. they might well be right.
But a bid in excess of £10m might spark a conversation. An offer of £12m or more becomes seriously tempting.
especially when the Ibrox club recently announced an annual loss of £14.3m. At this week’s AGM, King admitted it could take two years for the club to become self-sufficient and wean themselves off the interest-free shareholder loans.
Celtic built a position of financial dominance by balancing on-field success with a transfer model which sacrificed key players like Victor Wanyama and Virgil van dijk from time to time. rangers now have to tread the same tightrope.
right now, Morelos is playing with a smile on his face. He’s well-paid, valued and scoring goals for fun. the grass might never be greener anywhere else.
But his agents are already fielding calls from clubs willing to pay big wages to a goalscoring striker. And they fully expect more bids next month.
Supporters can join Gerrard in screaming: ‘Oh no you don’t’, like the front row of the King’s on Christmas eve.
But rangers directors have to look at the bigger picture and what happens in the next fortnight could have an influence on how this plays out.
Beat Hearts tomorrow and Gerrard’s side will go top of the Premiership.
there is no guarantee they’ll stay there.
the coming weeks bring more tough challenges; Hibernian (twice), Aberdeen and Celtic.
Launch a serious, sustained title challenge and selling Morelos becomes unthinkable. It makes little or no economic sense if a crack at qualification for the Champions League opens the door to earning £30m next summer.
If rangers are found wanting against their main rivals and fall out of contention, the scenario changes.
Gerrard would spend January hunting down quality for key areas of the team. And that means two things.
A serious injection of money. And a board of directors willing to upset a high-profile manager by sacrificing his star striker.