Steven Gerrard has made absolutely no mention of Alfredo Morelos’ potential sale, and stated factually he expects the striker back at Auchenhowie following the Copa America.

In interesting language, the manager acknowledged the striker’s time in South America, but there was no reference whatsoever to any interest from Porto, despite the fact one of Morelos’ best friends, former Rangers winger Daniel Candeias, has confirmed the interest and has stated his old team mate wants the move.

Gerrard’s wording was curious – rather than drop any hints about his striker working his ticket out of Ibrox, instead he focused only on next season and what he expects from the 25-year old.

Whether this means the entire story is false and Daniel Candeias not to mention the whole media and all sources are lying, or Gerrard is just being canny and being careful not to discuss anything to do with it we couldn’t tell you at this point.

Gerrard has confirmed bids before, stating Lille’s submission was ‘nowhere near’ the board’s valuation, and this is either an intriguing change of tact from Stevie in the face of intense interest in his star man, or a surreal confirmation the bid and the whole story is bewildering fiction.

As many fans have said in response to this story, ‘I’ll believe it when the club announces it’ and we agree on that course of action.

Sources get things wrong, it does happen, but this would be a truly bizarre story to have turned out completely fabricated. A lavish hoax to say the least, including the Candeias quotes.