Alfredo Morelos justifies £20m Aston Villa links with ‘brilliant’ Rangers display

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Premier League outfit Aston Villa reportedly want to sign Rangers’ Europa League hero Alfredo Morelos for £20m in the January transfer window.

Connor Goldson has paid tribute to the ‘brilliant’ Alfredo Morelos after the Rangers striker rescued a point for Steven Gerrard’s side in their Europa League clash with Porto on Thursday night, in quotes reported by the Daily Record.

And if Aston Villa really want to sign the 23-year-old in January, they certainly wouldn’t have been put off with another exceptional performance.

Gerrard has lost just three times in 25 continental fixtures since taking charge of the Glasgow giants in 2018 and, after suffering a heart-wrenching 2-1 loss to Young Boys last time out, The Gers were back at their best in Portugal as they claimed a creditable draw against one of the competition favourites.

Rangers recovered brilliantly after a Luis Diaz wonder-goal gave Porto the lead with the in-form Morelos firing home an equaliser following a stunning cross from a reborn Borna Barisic.

That was Morelos’s 16th goal in just 21 games this season and there is arguably no striker in the Europa League who has been as influential as the Colombian so far. No wonder centre-back Goldson took the time to praise a striker who just gets better and better.

“Alfredo is brilliant. I don’t think Rangers could wish for a better striker,” said the former Brighton and Hove Albion youngster.

“His all-round game is in a really good place. He is so strong in his hold-up play, he helps us defensively when he drops in and he has got everything up front. He scores headers, he scores tap-ins, he works centre-backs for the whole 90 minutes.

“I think he has really improved in the time I’ve been at the club. He has come on leaps and bounds.”

If there is a downside to Morelos’ dazzling displays, it’s that interest in his services is on the rise. According to the Scottish Sun, Crystal Palace are prepared to offer £20 million for the one-time HJK Helsinki man with Aston Villa interested too.

With summer signing Wesley dividing opinion and with neither Keinan Davis nor Jonathan Kodjia really getting a look in, Morelos is perhaps the sort of signing who could take Villa to another level. But don’t expect Rangers to cash in unless they receive an offer they simply cannot refuse.