Alfredo Morelos had his head turned by the riches of the Chinese Super League but can Rangers hold on to the striker with Aston Villa and co keen?
Money is not everything in football but it is fair to say the lure of huge pay-packets in the Far East has turned the head of far more moneyed footballers than Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.
Established superstars like Carlos Tevez, Hulk and Oscar have been tempted over to China in the last few years and they were not exactly earning a pittance at their former club. So with Morelos on wages of just £7,000-a-week at Ibrox, you can perhaps understand why he was tempted by a January deadline day move to Beijing Renhe.
Rangers stood strong, however, and manager Graeme Murty refused to let Morelos leave midway through his debut season. But everyone knows now that the 21-year-old is nowhere near the top earners at Ibrox, meaning the Glasgow giants could be in quite a vulnerable position with interest sure to start up again once the season comes to an end.
And, if Aston Villa are still keen to sign a striker they scouted back in November, as reported by the Scotsman, continuing their good form and securing a return to England’s top flight could see the former Helsinki goal machine become a viable target.
Villa would have no trouble offering Morelos a substantial rise on his current £7,000-a-week wage, especially with the Premier League offering huge financial riches.
As reported by the Mail, the Scottish Premiership’s top scorer is understandably demanding a raise. And Rangers should probably bow to his demands if they are to ensure that Morelos’s head is not turned quite so easily in the summer.
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