Alfredo Morelos: Fenerbahce rekindle interest in Rangers striker as Turks make moves to strengthen strikeforce

Fenerbahce have rekindled their interest in Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos, according to media outlets in Turkey.
Fenerbahce have held a long-standing interest in Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.Fenerbahce have held a long-standing interest in Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.
Fenerbahce have held a long-standing interest in Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.

The Istanbul-based Super Lig club are fighting to finish in the top four of their domestic division in a bid to qualify for Europe next season. Currently in fifth place, they are a massive 17 points behind leaders Trabzonspor, but only one point off the Europa League spot and seven behind Konyaspor in second, which holds a Champions League qualifier berth.

Caretaker manager Ismail Kartal – who has been given the reins until the end of the season after Vitor Pereira was dismissed earlier this month – has been given the green light to bring in another striker to support main forwards Serdar Dursun and Enner Valencia, with Morelos on a shortlist reported to include Haris Seferovic of Benfica and Tiquinho Soares of Olympiakos.

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Fenerbahce also looked at the possibility of signing Morelos in the summer, and sources in Turkey have told The Scotsman that the Yellow Canaries would be prepared to pay £7million for the striker in this window, which closes for Turkish clubs on February 8.

Whether Rangers would accept such a sum for Morelos, who is under contract until the summer of 2023, is up for debate given his importance to Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst. The 25-year-old has rediscovered his best form since the Dutch coach replaced Steven Gerrard in November and is viewed as a vital part of the team as the Ibrox club try to defend their cinch Premiership title.

Morelos, who joined Rangers in 2017, is currently on international duty with Colombia, having earned a recall for their World Cup qualifiers, but was not even listed in the squad for Friday night’s 1-0 defeat by Peru.

Rangers have three other strikers in their squad in Fashion Sakala, Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten, but Morelos has already emerged as Van Bronckhorst’s main man in attack.

Speculation has surrounded Morelos’ future for some years now, with a plethora of clubs linked with the ex-HJK hitman. He came close to leaving for Lille two summers ago, only for the French side to eventually sign Canada internationalist Jonathan David instead.

Ismail Kartal is back in temporary charge of Fenerbahce.Ismail Kartal is back in temporary charge of Fenerbahce.
Ismail Kartal is back in temporary charge of Fenerbahce.

Rangers are unlikely to want to weaken their squad with a resurgent Celtic just two points behind them in the league ahead of Wednesday night’s derby at Celtic. They are expected to go back in with another January bid for Hearts defender John Souttar, who has signed a pre-contract agreement to move to Ibrox in the summer.

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