Alan Hutton insists his record Rangers fee will finally be smashed by some of some of Steven Gerrard’s stars – but he hopes it’s not for another 12 months.
He has pleaded with the Gers board to resist a fire sale on the back of missing on the Champions League riches as the rewards are even greater next season.
Scotland’s champions will go straight in to the group stages in a year and Hutton would love to see Gerrard’s top assets remain at the club to make it two-in-a-row.
The 50-time capped Scot was sold to Spurs for £9m in January 2008 – and it is still a record 13 years on.
Hutton is convinced in-demand stars such as Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Glen Kamara will shatter the sum eventually but they will be vital in the quest to retain the title.
He said: “You see a lot of talk about Rangers missing out on the Champions League so they’ll need to sell players. I don’t think it will be like that off the bat.
“They will want to keep the core together who got them in to this position because if they win the league this year they go straight in to the group stages.
“It’s massive. There’s the Champions League money right away, so I think they should do their best to hold on to their best players a little longer.
“Look, none of us are daft. If the right fee comes in for one of the top assets, they are going to consider it.
“That’s part of football in Scotland. You can’t turn down £10m plus bids.
“The Morelos stuff doesn’t go away and there are other clubs sniffing around other players, but that’s normal.
“The one thing I would have changes is I wouldn’t have left in the January. I would have waited until the summer.
“Hopefully they can keep them for another 12 months and see where it takes us.”
Hutton is stunned his fee is still the benchmark but he believes it won’t last much longer as Rangers have finally got the model right for building the club.
The Ibrox side suffered for a decade but they have risen again under Gerrard and now have numerous assets that can be moved on for huge profits.
Hitman Morelos is being chased by long-term suitors Porto, with Fenerbahce also sniffing around, while Kent has Leeds United on his tail and there is interest from around Europe in Kamara.
Hutton said: “It’s crazy that record still stands. The money in football now is beyond belief and I’m sure there will be bids of more than that for these guys.
“The record will go. The money is only going one way and players like Ryan Kent, there was talk of Leeds United seeing a £14m bid knocked back, Morelos is another one.
“We know how good he can be in the Malmo game.
“If the figures are right, Rangers will take it seriously. That is how Rangers –and Celtic – have to work.
“They need to polish up some rough diamonds and make a profit. It’s worked for both in the past.
“A little more pressure might fall on Rangers to balance the books. But if they can get £15m plus for Morelos then they can reinvest it in the team.
“But ideally it’s down the line.”
This interview was in association with Coffee Friend, an international retailer for coffee and coffee machines.
