Alfredo Morelos is ‘finished’ at Rangers after what Michael Beale said on Thursday – Sky Sports pundit
Kris Boyd has urged Rangers boss Michael Beale not to hand striker Alfredo Morelos a new contract, as he is “finished” at Ibrox.
The Colombian striker has a contract at the club until the end of the season, and he is yet to sign a new one with just three months running on his current deal.
Beale announced yesterday [3 March] that no Gers players who are out of contract this summer have been formally offered a new deal yet, and that he will make the decisions.
And Rangers hero Boyd has been far from impressed with Morelos this campaign when comparing him to previous years and is now adamant the time has come for his old club to move on from the striker.
Writing in The Scottish Sun, he said: “I’ve both defended and criticised Morelos time and again, and history will show he HAS been a good player for the club.
“At £1million, he was a bargain buy and I won’t ever change my mind on that. But his time is up at Ibrox. He’s finished.
“Beale said on Thursday no contract offer has been made to Morelos or seven other players whose deals expire at the end of the season.
“But even if there had been a deal on the table for Morelos, the club should be taking it back off, ripping it up and investing in another goalscorer.
“Because teams are only ever as good as their strikers and it’s never been truer than at Rangers and Celtic right now.
“In the Viaplay Cup final, there was next to nothing between the sides in spells. For me, the main difference was the two men up front.
“In Kyogo, Celtic have a selfless team player, someone who runs himself into the ground for the greater good. Put simply, in Morelos, Rangers don’t.
Sticky one
It’s a sticky situation for Beale, as he is yet to decide on Morelos’ new deal, but Boyd’s criticism is perfectly understandable considering the Colombian’s attitude and commitment to the Rangers cause when it matters most.
The 26-year-old has proven a hugely controversial and much-maligned figure within the media and a small number of fans at the club, and his petulance shown when substituted in the Viaplay Cup final proved the ideal example.
With the Gers looking to undergo a stark rebuild this summer, as they aim to fully challenge and topple Celtic next season, Beale will need to decide whether he can rely on Morelos to curb his attitude and aid his cause at Ibrox.
Boyd is right, you’d never hear trouble from any of Celtic’s players and that’s why Ange Postecoglu is able to field a hungry, harmonious and competitive camp consistently. That cannot be said about the Gers right now.
Some major decisions will need to be made before the end of the campaign.
In other Rangers news, another contract decision must be made to avoid a repeat situation next season with this star.