Aston Villa are said to have scouted the Rangers striker, who has scored eight goals in nine games since moving to Ibrox.
Aston Villa are taking an interest in Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos, according to the Scotsman. The Villans are one of five Championship sides said to have watched the Colombian score his eighth goal in nine games since moving to Ibrox, during Rangers’ 2-2 draw against Partick Thistle on Friday.
But while Financial Fair Play restrictions could prove prohibitive in any Villa attempt to recruit another new centre forward, there is one way in which they could potentially gain an upper hand on rival suitors – by throwing in Rushian Hepburn-Murphy as part of the deal.
The Villa youngster could have been a Rangers player already – perhaps at the expense of Morelos – had Mark Warburton had his way last year [Daily Mail]. But the Villans managed to tie him down instead, renewing his contract until 2020.
Yet even with Villa’s early-season striker crisis, Hepburn-Murphy has only 21 minutes of League Cup football to his name this campaign, and appears to have been overtaken by another teenage striker, Keinan Davis, in Steve Bruce’s plans – although that’s probably more to do with the latter’s form than anything Hepburn-Murphy has done wrong.
Considering the impact that Morelos – as well as Celtic’s Moussa Dembele – has had since arriving in Scottish football, Hepburn-Murphy would perhaps take little persuading to follow suit and head north of the border.
But convincing Rangers to take on Hepburn-Murphy – whose first team exposure is far more limited than that of Morelos – could be more of a hard sell.
His arrival would not be without risk, but then neither was Morelos’ – and who’s to say the 19-year-old wouldn’t have a similar impact to the Colombian at Ibrox?
Despite his lack of action of late, Hepburn-Murphy, who Villa made the Premier League’s youngest ever player three years ago, is clearly highly rated by his employers – otherwise, why would they have given him another three years?
And even with a significant wedge of money in the bank, replacing Morelos’ goals may not be a straightforward task for Rangers.
So could an offer of Hepburn-Murphy plus cash tempt them, if, of course, Aston Villa opt to pursue their alleged interest?
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