Rangers: Oh no, not another Alfredo Morelos rumour?
It’s that time of the day again, Rangers fans – yet more Alfredo Morelos transfer rumours, this time he’s been linked to West Brom, but is it credible?
Another day, another Alfredo Morelos rumour. This time, the media have thrown a dart against the dart board and it’s landed on West Bromwich Albion. The newly promoted Premier League side have been on the hunt for a striker for the bulk of the transfer window – Morelos, for his part, is available and ostensibly surplus to requirements by Rangers, so that’s all the evidence some need to invent a clearly dubious link.
If it feels like we talk about this on a daily basis, that’s probably because we do. Yesterday it was Bayer Leverkusen, the day before it was Porto. At some point someone suggested Stuttgart too but we ignored that because it was even less credible than some of the other rumours, if you can believe that. It’s exhausting.
More from Rangers FC News
- System remains disjointed for now for Beale and Rangers
- Rangers vs St Johnstone player ratings as Michael Beale’s side get back to winning ways
- Rangers board and management not singing off same hymn sheet
- Rangers players on international duty September 2023
- Michael Beale manager position and Rangers summer signings assessed
I can kinda see where the idea for this one came though. West Brom have, until now, been linked with Huddersfield Town’s Karlan Grant. He’s basically Morelos but born in London. He scored some 19 goals for Town in the Championship last season at the age of 22, not a bad return at all. Recently though, his “head has been turned” by transfer speculation and he’s dropped out of the team entirely.
Apparently Grant has also some minor experience scoring in the Prem, having joined Huddersfield in just enough time to do that before they got relegated. Anyone who watched the Terriers in their swan song year of top flight football will understand how challenging it would be to produce anything.
The transfer saga surrounding Grant has dragged, however, and either due to being literally sick of writing about him, or perhaps West Brom really are refusing to pony up his valuation, eyes are now turning to Rangers’ want away striker instead.
Could Alfredo do a job for the Baggies in the Premier League? Absolutely, I think the general consensus is that he’s a better, more established forward than Grant who arguably has had just one season of results. West Brom fans, from a cursory reading of online opinion, seem to agree Morelos would be the better centre-forward for them – though concerns remain over his discipline. Certainly sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Here’s where it falls apart – there is literally nothing, tangible or otherwise, to suggest West Brom are interested in Morelos
The Columbian is 2 years older, but as a result is closer to hitting his prime. West Brom aren’t looking to build but to produce results right now – staying in the Premier League, rather than going straight back down again, is the first and most important goal for them and every promoted club.
With greater age, too, comes greater experience, Morelos is a Columbian international and has considerable game time, and goals, at that level. Grant is locked out of a place in the England side just like basically every other run-of-the-mill English striker. Throw on top European experience and it’s clear Alfredo is the more established, safer choice.
All making sense until now? Here’s where it falls apart – there is literally nothing, tangible or otherwise, to suggest West Brom are interested in Morelos or that Rangers will sell him to them if they are. A number, ostensibly plucked from thin air, of £17million was included in the rumour, which could well be enough, but to me that sounds like it was picked only because that was the amount they supposedly offered for Grant. It just smacks of lazy journalism.
Don’t get me wrong, if Albion are seriously offering £17million for Morelos, I’ll drive him to Birmingham myself. He’s not playing for us, he wants away, money is always nice, it just makes sense. In any case, no doubt we’ll be back tomorrow with another club from the bingo board. Fingers crossed it’s the last, but I won’t be getting my hopes up.