Stephen Halliday: Why clubs must cash in while they can

Sam Cosgrove situation at Aberdeen is a warning

Injured Aberdeen striker Sam Cosgrove. Picture: SNS Group

The precarious nature of clubs trying to maximise the value of their biggest assets has been underlined by the knee injury which will keep Sam Cosgrove on the sidelines for the next 10 weeks.

Just three weeks ago, financially-stretched Aberdeen missed out on a £2.7 million fee from Guingamp for their top scorer when he turned down a move to the French Ligue 2 outfit. Now Cosgrove, below, signed from Carlisle United for just £25,000, isn’t expected to return to action until after the extended transfer window closes on 5 October.

It’s the kind of vagary of fate which means no club can reasonably be condemned for cashing in on their best players, regardless of the angst it may cause for both their manager and supporters.

It’s why the sale of Alfredo Morelos to Lille may prove irresistible to a Rangers board who can’t afford to let a record fee slip from their grasp.

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