Barry Ferguson believes Glasgow Rangers will need to sell one or two stars during the summer, but he thinks Alfredo Morelos will not be one of the players to depart.

Morelos to stay

Ferguson was writing for The Daily Record about the Colombia international and what the future may hold for him.

The former Gers captain suggested the Ibrox outfit may need to sell in the summer, but Morelos may not be one of those to depart. He said:

"I know Gerrard joked afterwards that Morelos enjoys playing in the Europa League because he knows clubs from all the biggest leagues will be watching him. I also know that Rangers will need to sell one or two of their biggest assets to keep the club financially stable moving forward.

"But Morelos looks settled and highly motivated right now - I even saw a wee smile out of him the other night - and I actually wonder if he’s already got one eye on making a mark on next season’s Champions League.

"Yes, he’s made a big impact in Europe already but the Champions League is where players really showcase what they’ve got. That’s the pinnacle.

"Just hearing that music blast out before kick-off sends a shiver down the spine and that’s exactly where Morelos will want to be performing. He’s about to have the chance to do it in a Rangers shirt next season and it could present him with the ideal platform to take his career to another stratosphere. "I think he realises now how badly he is needed by the rest of his teammates. Quite simply, Morelos at his best makes Rangers a better team. "I’d love to see him doing that next season under the floodlights on the greatest stage of them all."

One more season

In the long-term, Morelos' future does not lie at Ibrox. The £10.8m-valued (Transfermarkt) 24-year-old has already said he has hopes of playing in a more competitive league (The Scottish Sun), and he was very close to a move to Lille just last summer when he reportedly agreed personal terms with the Ligue 1 side.

However, one more season in Scotland may be the best thing for all involved. As Ferguson said, Morelos could have the chance to play in the Champions League next term. A series of good displays in that competition would drive up interest in Morelos and could well offer him more lucrative options, while it would also put the Gers in a stronger position when it comes to the transfer fee they would demand. In that scenario, everyone would be a winner.

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