Douglas Park has hinted that Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent’s Rangers contract demands are “unattainable” as fans quizzed Ibrox powerbrokers on the pair’s future.
Both players are out of contract this summer and can speak to interested clubs from January as their deals enter the final six months. Kent’ s form hasn’t hit the heights of previous seasons, while Morelos has lost his starting spot to summer signing Antonio Colak. The Colombian was sensationally dropped by previous boss Gio van Bronckhorst for their crucial Champions League playoff second leg against PSV Eindhoven over concerns about his attitude and fitness.
Colak scored the goal that fired Gers into the lucrative group stages as Morelos watched from Glasgow. He’s since returned to the fold, but has been unable to oust the Croatian from the number nine role, playing second fiddle on the bench as the Light Blues slipped nine points behind rivals Celtic in the Premiership title race.
New deals have been offered to both in an attempt to keep them at Ibrox beyond the summer and not lose them for nothing, or at best, a cut price fee when the transfer window opens in a few weeks’ time. However, there has been little in the way of concrete updates on whether both are likely to commit their futures.
Unsurprisingly, the subject came up at the club’s AGM, held at Glasgow’s Armadillo on Tuesday morning. While sporting director Ross Wilson initially fielded the query on Morelos and Kent’s contract situation, chairman Douglas Park seemed to suggest that Rangers had made the best offers they could, but that isn’t always enough.
He said: “The board tried to negotiate and sometimes if the terms are unattainable you have to accept you have done your best.”
The question from the floor was why neither had been sold last summer with just a year remaining on their deals, and why both had been allowed to run them down to leave the club facing the prospect of taking a major financial haircut on players who were in previous seasons, two of their most valuable assets.
Wilson responded bullishly, insisting both had shown a willingness to sign. He said: "They’ve not been allowed. Two parties need to commit. Ryan and Alfredo are different situations but there is a willingness for the boys to stay with us from the club.”
He also revealed that a bid for both had been knocked back due to not meeting the club’s valuation. Wilson added: “Why didn’t they go in the summer? We’ve rejected one offer for both players on the basis the players were of more value and we went on to be league champions in that same season.”
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