Rangers: Frank Castaneda could be ideal replacement for Morelos | OneFootball

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has endured a busy start to his first transfer window in charge of Rangers, with two deals already having been completed.

The Gers have brought in James Sands on an 18-month loan from MLS side New York City FC, but they have also raked in a club-record fee for Nathan Patterson, with the defender joining Premier League club Everton earlier this month.

It remains to be seen what will happen between now and the end of January, with continuing speculation over players leaving and joining the club.

Bye-bye Morelos

One player who could be on his way out of Ibrox to follow Patterson to England is centre-forward Alfredo Morelos. Leicester, Everton and Newcastle have all been touted with an interest in the striker and could make a move for him this month if reports are to be believed, with a £20m price tag placed on his head.

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If the Gers do end up waving goodbye to the Colombian striker, they could find an ideal replacement in his fellow countryman Frank Castaneda. Rangers have been linked with a swoop for the forward, who is a free agent as it stands, and he could come in to fill the vacant berth at the top of the pitch which would be left by Morelos’ exit.

Castaneda has an impressive scoring record throughout his career that suggests he could be an excellent signing for the club. He managed 42 goals in 73 games for Sheriff Tiraspol during his time there, averaging a goal every 1.7 games for the club. This included an incredible 33 goals and 18 assists in the 2020/21 campaign, showing that he can score and create goals at an exceptional rate.

Meanwhile, Morelos has scored 107 goals in 211 matches for Rangers, averaging a goal every 1.97 matches. This suggests that Castaneda could come in and provide goals on a similar level to his fellow countryman if he is able to translate his form over to Scotland, although it is difficult to gauge the difference in quality between the Premiership and the Moldovan top-flight, in which the 27-year-old most recently plied his trade.

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Castaneda produced two goals and three assists in seven Champions League qualifiers for Sheriff and played in their historic 2-1 win away to Real Madrid in the group stage, showing that he can perform at the level in which Rangers aspire to compete next season.

Therefore, he could come in as an ideal candidate to replace Morelos should the latter end up leaving to join Patterson in the Premier League this month.