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Rangers transfer 'target' told to turn down Barcelona as Igamane set for Morocco audition at Hampden – Ibrox bulletin

-Credit: (Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
-Credit: (Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images/Getty Images)


Rangers have been handed a boost in their pursuit of reported target Relebohile Mofokeng, with the South African starlet being urged to avoid Barcelona and join a club where he will play every week.

The Orlando Pirates winger has burst onto the scene in the past 12 months and was recently crowned as South Africa's Sportsperson of the Year by GQ Magazine. The 20-year-old was touted with a move to Ibrox last summer but is now said to be on the radar of Catalan giants Barca, fellow La Liga club Levante and Wolves in the Premier League.

However, the exciting youngster has been told by Bafana Bafana legend and former Porto and Blackburn star Benni McCarthy to make a move that will guarantee him regular game time. He said: "I think he [Mofokeng] needs to play, not go to a country where to adapt, no, he needs to play.

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"So, I think a Portuguese League would be good, La Liga teams where he’s going to play and not sit on the bench. La Liga would suit him very nicely. He is not going to play there [Barcelona or Real Madrid], he must go to a place like (RCD) Mallorca, or Athletic Bilbao [where he can play with] Nico Williams.

"He must be in those kinds of teams, Celta Vigo would be a nice team for him as well, Espanyol, just a place where his talent won’t be wasted. France might be also a good place for him because of the climate at least there’s sunshine like South Africa. I think Portugal, Spain and France."

Closer to home, Hamza Igamane's red-hot form in front of goal in recent weeks could see him win a call-up to Morocco's senior side. After a slow start at Ibrox, the 22-year-old has netted five goals in the last five games in all competitions, including the opener in Thursday's 1-1 draw in the Europa League with Spurs.

Rangers' Hamza Igamane celebrates
Rangers' Hamza Igamane celebrates -Credit:SNS Group

And according to The National, Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has ordered his number two Abdel Bouhazama to personally run the rule over the forward in Sunday's Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic at Hampden. Igamane currently represents his country at U23 level and has scored twice in six caps.

Elsewhere, former Ibrox favourite Alfredo Morelos has hinted that he could join Atletico Nacional on a permanent basis after getting on the scoresheet in the first leg of the Copa Colombia final. The 28-year-old netted his side's third goal in a 3-1 win against America de Cali on Friday ahead of the return fixture tomorrow night.

Morelos is on loan at the club from Santos and has found form in recent weeks after his early months at Nacional were overshadowed by a drink driving incident that left a fellow motorist in a critical condition. The striker Morelos says he is happy to be back in his native Colombia and hinted that he could sign on at Nacional beyond the end of his loan spell.

"I don't know what will happen but as I told you, I am very excited to be here", he stated. "I feel happy, my family (do) too which is the important thing, so let's hope with God's help to be here."