Ibrox Exclusive: Dave King slaps price tag on Rangers player as PL club plot big-money swoop

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Published on:

21 Oct 2019, 1:30 am

Rangers have slapped a £20million-plus January price tag on Aston Villa target Alfredo Morelos, Football Insider has learned.

The Midlands giants are in the market for a new front man in the winter and the Colombia international is on their radar despite their near-£150million summer spend.

Ibrox sources have told Football Insider that chairman Dave King will not allow Morelos to go without a fight and is ready to set the asking price beyond the £20million mark.

This comes after Football Insider revealed at the start of this month that Villa were lining up scouting missions for Morelos after setting aside more than £20million for a new striker in January.

Manager Dean Smith subsequently admitted that he is keen on adding a forward to the ranks in the winter window and refused to rule out a move for the Colombia international.

Rangers chiefs have noted out Celtic secured £25million in the summer from Arsenal for Kieran Tierney and, even more relevantly, £19million for Moussa Dembele from Lyon in the summer of 2018.

Like Dembele, Morelos is a young, prolific centre-forward with his best years ahead of him.

The Colombian has scored 15 goals from 20 appearances this season and added to his tally with the equaliser in yesterday's 1-1 draw against Hearts.

Morelos, 23, has also showed signs of eliminating the temperamental flaws that have been a feature of his three seasons in Glasgow.

He was sent off five times last season, but has received just four bookings in the new campaign following strong criticism from Steven Gerrard of his 2018-19 conduct.

Morelos signed a new contract in March that runs until the summer of 2023 and is one of the best paid players in Scotland.

In other Rangers news, it can be REVEALED that the club have agreed the terms of a £4million out-of-window deal.

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