Have Rangers found their ‘Dembele’?

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Have Rangers found their ‘Dembele’?

Before I continue this piece, I will concede that players can often look much better on paper than they do on the pitch. That a brilliant track record for club A does not prove they will produce similar for club B.

But that said, Rangers really do seem to have struck potential gold with the impressive capture of Colombian U20 international striker Alfredo Morelos. Sure, most of us would not have heard of him before we were linked to him, but equally who knew Daniel Cousin back in the day, or even Michael Mols?

It was only once the name appeared that fans attacked Google (or whatever search engine we used a decade plus ago) to find out what they could about ‘shiny new striker arriving in Govan’.

And what we are finding out about this Colombian goalscorer is our manager Pedro Caixinha is doing a quite astonishing job of finding unknown gems who have a proven track record at a decent level – Fabio Cardoso was another he has plucked from the wilderness but whose career looks more than half decent.

And when we look at Morelos’ career, it is no wonder some Celtic fans actually want the move hijacked – could the HJK man be Rangers’ Moussa Dembele?

Morelos’ stats from the Veikkausliiga make for very impressive viewing – it might not be the highest level in world football but it is barely any inferior to the SPL, and a roughly 30 in 45 rate really is a distinctly useful number.

Someone who can score over one in two at a level similar to the SPL is someone worth having, and the potential for this 21-year striker to deliver what his growing reputation suggests he can is there for all to see.

Hence our green and white friends suggested a hijack.

There is no higher praise of a Rangers target than when our SPL rivals try scupper the move – they literally signed Scott Allan for no reason other than to stop us from doing so, and they have history for such conduct.

And it is no wonder they are worried by Morelos. Sure, the lad might not work out, and sure, he might end up an average striker who has already peaked – but if we look at the laws of possibility, then a 21-year striker free-scoring in a reasonable European league is a great coup.

Let us not also forget the pedigree this kid is coming from. Colombia have been a fantastic exporter of forward players for the past 20 years. The Falcaos, the Baccas, the Rodriguezes to name just three of the world class attacking players Colombia have produced in recent times. It is a fine stable, and the national team has been ranked at number one on more than a single occasion during the same period.

If one country reliably develops fine attacking players, it is Colombia. No one is pretending Rangers are signing Radamel Falcao, but who knows what Morelos is capable of producing under the right environment.

One thing is for sure, I am glad to see this kind of player finally arriving at Ibrox after far too long – a pure goal-getter has been missing from Ibrox since Jelavic.

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11 COMMENTS

  1. Lets not count our chickens, as the saying goes. Will we be hounding the young man if after ten games he hasn't scored?
    As your article says, let us hope we have unearthed a gem and someone to score over 20 goals a season over his three year contract.
    I only hope Pedro has a look at Ryan Hardie too, he scored a few goals at lower level, which is reasonable, but the lad is now scoring a team Youth international level and if we have to be honest, some foreign youth sides could beat our Premier league clubs.

  2. I must admit that I am excited at Rangers signing young players like Alfredo Morelos. Even if he struggles a little at the start, he definitely has great potential.

    Hopefully, he will get some protection from our crap referees who really do need the Specsavers product.

  3. It will be interesting to see if Dembele stays. If he turns out to be a one season wonder he would not be the first. No matter were Dembele ends up he will be up against a higher calibre of opponent and to value him at £50 million is ludicrous.

  4. Good discussion piece Richard, he looks very good ..I hope we can secure his deal ,to score at any level is not easy he seems to have natural position and movement …I do hope we can bring him on for Rangers then to move on for a profit and to allow the laf to reach whatever he can. I like the Mexican pair too for exactly the same reasons

  5. Good discussion piece Richard, he looks very good ..I hope we can secure his deal ,to score at any level is not easy he seems to have natural position and movement …I do hope we can bring him on for Rangers then to move on for a profit and to allow the laf to reach whatever he can. I like the Mexican pair too for exactly the same reasons.This will help Ryan Hardies development too WATP

  6. You never know how lucky we could be but he could be just more dross in a Pedro dream world Pedro likes to bring in players he has worked with or knows some thing about them i have never seen so many follow one man Now take out BA and then i must ask the biggest Q of all what have they won with Pedro?what level did they play at?i hope i am wrong but hey we got to ask do we not i for one do not want to be third again and after spending all that money on players and wages then i am looking at first so i am not going get carried away for now are you?.

    • A lot have won leagues abroad with Pedro. And let's not kid ourself the Scottish league isn't anywhere near the top leagues anymore. Some of the South American leagues are good, def can't be bad when u see some of the best players coming to Europe from there. Always a gem to find, and the ones with international experience should be able to cope with big games here

    • Rangers will always aim to try and win the title.. After that last campaign I'd go for this season 2nd to the Dirt by less than 12 points difference with a Cup win also.. That's being realistic but I'd be ecstatic if we trump that with #55

  7. Let's get the boy in first and hope he's at least better than Dodoo never mind Dembelle, need to start calming down we have not even kicked a ball yet or seen most of these players play 90 minutes.

  8. This boy will score for fun in the SPL his record is phenominal not just his scoring but assists…He's driven to succeed that's the type of hunger that's been sorely lacking at Ibrox of late.. He's all ready started his season so he is match fit for starters and banging them in at European games too.. But hey let's all piss on everybody's chips with negativity

  9. Columbians and such tend not to travel well and the standard of defender and goalkeeper he was up against in all the YouTube clips I've seen are pretty pish.Saying that he seems to have a great attitude and the weather won't be a problem if he can handle Finland.If we get this done I think he can smash it here.That fanny Timalloy is greetin about where our money is coming from and asking that Ed007 tool how many work permits we're allowed.Info easily attainable himself but just wants to sook up that Eds ass.It's nauseating,I shouldn't be reading it but it's that train wreck thing folk talk aboot.

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