Championship promotion chasers Aston Villa are desperate for a new striker in January but will Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos still be on their radar?
Aston Villa were one of a number of Championship clubs keeping a close eye on Alfredo Morelos following his superb start to life at Rangers.
According to The Scotsman in October, Villa scouts were in attendance as the Colombian hitman scored his sixth goal in six games for The Gers in a 2-2 league draw away at Partick Thistle.
A £1 million signing from Finnish outfit HJK Helsinki according to the Daily Record, Morelos looked like being the bargain of the season up in Scotland.
And though the 21-year-old has been far less consistent since, he still has an impressive 10 goals in all competitions since moving to Rangers – his instinctive poaching and aggressive leading of the line explaining exactly why Villa were checking in.
Though it appears that Rangers can sleep a little easier now with the January window just a few weeks away. Because Aston Villa owner Tony Xia admitted to the Birmingham Mail last week that Financial Fair Play restrictions mean the Championship promotion chasers will be unable to spend big in the New Year.
Instead, Villa will be limited to short-term loan deals with the likes of Lewis Grabban and Leonardo Ulloa linked with temporary moves to the Midlands.
And while Villa would surely love to sign Morelos, particularly with last season’s top scorer Jonathan Kodjia out for a few months thanks to a broken ankle, it goes without saying that Rangers have absolutely no reason to let their prized asset leave on loan.
Instead, Rangers would no doubt ask for far more than the £1 million they paid for Morelos – a fee Villa simply cannot afford right now.
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