How Morelos became a star for Rangers

Before the summer of 2017, when Rangers purchased a Colombian striker from the abyss of the Finnish League, Alfredo Morelos was only a big star in Finland thanks to playing for top-flight side HJK Helsinki. 

However, thanks to the keen eye of Jonatan Johansson, Morelos would be plying his trade in the Scottish top flight before long, under the tutelage of football legend Steven Gerrard. 

Morelos was a phenomenon in Finland; in just over a year at HJK Helsinki he scored 46 goals in 62 games, including a run of scoring 11 in 12 games during his second season with the side.

And now, having reached the same tally of games with Rangers, his reputation is still growing by the week, as he puts his name on the map as the attacking spearhead of Gerrard's 'Gers'. 

Now the manager of Morton, Johansson explains his reasoning for deciding that Morelos was destined for greater things, saying: "He was the goal-scorer so I guess you get most headlines.The Finnish league is very different to the Scottish league. It's one of the challenges for a scout going to Finnish football because the tempo is quite slow, it's tactical and it's totally different from here in many ways."

He continued: ""So when you look at players you have to think, 'how will they fit into the Scottish game? They have to be tough, they have to be strong, have character, link the play as a striker. In that way Morelos was different from other strikers in Finland as I thought he had all of those attributes. That's why he caught the eye."

 

October 5, 2018

Morelos joined Rangers when Pedro Caixinha was in charge, and it was said that the manager 'took to him quite quickly'. However, after a run of bad results, Caixinha was shown the exit door. 

Colombian Morelos is now thriving under the tutelage of Steven Gerrard, in the Merseyside born manager's maiden season as a top flight manager. 

The striker has impressed Gerrard,  with the ex-pro comparing the Colombian to his former South American teammate Luis Suarez. As such Morelos was rewarded with a new contract last month, tying him to the Ibrox club until 2022. 

And, having already rejected bids from abroad for the striker, it seems Rangers are keen to keep Morelos as part of the Gerrard regime for the foreseeable future.