'Send a real warning to Celtic' - Reporter drops verdict as Rangers eye huge in-house agreement

Rangers’ ability to keep Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos would send a real message out to the rest of the Scottish Premiership.

That is according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking to This is Futbol about the Ibrox club’s potential transfer business during the remainder of the transfer window.

Fans of last season’s Europa League runners-up have been desperate for the club to tie Morelos down to a new deal, in order to prevent the striker from leaving the club in the near future.

According to Salary Sport, Morelos’ contract is due to expire next summer, which would mean that the 26-year-old could leave the club for free next year.

But the Glasgow Times have reported that the 11-time Colombia international is now close to agreeing a deal with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.

And O’Rourke believes that if Rangers were able to keep hold of the £11.7m-rated striker, it would send a message out to the rest of the Premiership that Rangers mean business. 

“Keeping Morelos shows that the club are going in the right direction and that they are looking to build on their success last season from reaching the Europa League Final.

“It would send a real warning to Celtic and the rest of the Scottish Premiership that the Rangers are keeping hold of their best players and planning to build for the future.”

We believe that Rangers fans will agree with O’Rourke in the sense that the club would be in a much stronger position to compete at the top with Morelos at the club, rather than without him.

The Rangers star scored 19 goals and provided eight assists in 42 appearances last season according to Transfermarkt, suggesting that he is a crucial part of van Bronckhorst’s side’s attacking output. 

And we agree with O’Rourke and