Despite not being named in the initial squad, reports in Colombia have suggested that Alfredo Morelos is being considered as a replacement for the national team’s upcoming triple header this week.
Gremio’s Miguel Angel Borja picked up an ankle injury over the weekend, ruling him out of the World Cup qualifiers.
It means an anxious wait for Steven Gerrard and Rangers, with a complicated picture in view.
Morelos is known to be passionate about playing for his national team and working with the squad, but it appears that current coach Reinaldo Ruena is not a fan of ‘El Bufalo’ given his very limited game time recently.
If the call materialises, it would mean that Morelos would need to face a period of quarantine on his return ruling him out of at least two very important games – with Hearts and Brondby on the horizon after the international break.
Updated UK government rules sees a ‘Red List’ and ‘Rest of World’ guideine currently in place.
As things stand, both Colombia and Uruguay are on the former, meaning a 10-day quarantine would be required.
Of course, exemptions can be granted for elite sports professionals as happened when Lyon came to Glasgow last month, at the behest of the Scottish government.
Colombian outlet 90 Minutos reported on the injury issue concerning Borja with Rangers’ Morelos on the list of probable replacements:
“The forward (Borja) will undergo medical examinations to determine the severity of his injury, which is initially expected to be 7 days off the pitch.”
“Likewise, there is already talk of summoning another striker for the ‘tricolor’, so the deck of options that Reinaldo Rueda could have focuses on: Luis Muriel (Atalanta), Jhon Córdoba (Krasnodar), Luis Suárez (Granada), Alfredo Morelos (Rangers), Duván Vergara (Monterrey), Juan Otero (Santos Laguna) and Fernando Uribe (Millionaires).”
As mentioned above, it would be strange if Ruena turned to Morelos right away given the lack of minutes he has given him previously and on this occasion it would relieve Steven Gerrard of a conversation with his frontman that he would prefer not to have, never mind the consequences.
This situation is one to keep an eye on but with their first game coming on Friday, we should not have long to wait, to find out.