DEAL CONFIRMED:A talented winger from Everton signs a life contract with Rangers

Rangers’ Jekyll and Hyde season continues.

Domestically, the Light Blues have very little to play for, languishing 13 points adrift run-away Premiership leaders Celtic, despite being unbeaten in nine league matches, most recently battling to a 3-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday.

Meanwhile, they’re seemingly set for a trophyless season, having been beaten in December’s League Cup Final on penalties, before ignominiously exiting the Scottish Cup at the hands of Queen’s Park, a monumental and historic shock.

However, in the Europa League, Philippe Clement’s team impressively secured a top eight finish, so will now face one of Bodø/Glimt, Anderlecht, Fenerbahçe or Twente in the round of 16, with the first leg on the road coming up on 6 March.

So, while this has largely been a campaign to forget, a few more memorable European nights at Ibrox could be on the cards and, if Rangers are going to make progress in the Europa League, they’ll need their superstar striker to be on top form.

Rangers’ search for a striker

Rangers’ top-scoring attacker of the post-liquidation era, by quite some distance, is Alfredo Morelos, who scored 124 goals in 269 appearances for the club, averaging a goal every 152 minutes.

33 of the Colombian’s goals came in UEFA competitions, becoming the Gers’ record European scorer, smashing the previous record set by Ally McCoist of 21, who didn’t mind too much, saying “I hope he hangs around and continues his goalscoring form… it would be great”.

However, Morelos didn’t hang around for too much longer, departing on a Bosman in May 2023, signing for Brasileirão outfit Santos, currently on loan at Atlético Nacional, and the Gers have found him a difficult figure to replace.

The summer of Morelos’ departure, Rangers spent big to fill his void, signing both Cyriel Dessers for £4.5m, as well as Danilo for a reported fee of £6m.