OPINION
Despite the transfer window for Scottish clubs closing 28 days ago, there has been an exit cloud lingering over Ibrox ever since.
Cash-rich Chinese Super League side Beijing Renhe set their sights on Rangers star striker Alfredo Morelos, and looked relentless in the pursuit of their man.
The Light Blues rebuffed three big-money bids from the Far East outfit, with the final offer reportedly amounting to a club-record £11million.
Finally, after weeks of uncertainty, this transfer saga will come to a close on Wednesday as the Chinese transfer window shuts until the summer.
And, as reported by the Scottish Sun, Rangers are set to hold onto Morelos until the summer after Beijing bought in two alternative players.
This major transfer development is a massive boost for the club as they look to continue a brilliant run of form that has seen them win five games in a row in all competitions.
Morelos has played a big part in that upturn in form, with the 21-year-old Colombian scoring four times and laying on three assists in those matches.
And his impending stay at the club will allow Rangers to set themselves up for a massive end-of-season push, and hopefully a run at some silverware.
Not in seven years have Celtic had to look over their shoulders in the league, and Rangers’ big win at St. Johnstone on Tuesday evening will no doubt cause that to happen.
The Gers are now just six points behind Celtic, who have a game in hand, and they could potentially close that gap to three points if they beat the Hoops at Ibrox next weekend.
The Light Blues are also into the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup, and are set to meet Falkirk this weekend.
Morelos will be a massive asset for the club in all these fixtures, and keeping the Colombian will be key to their hopes.
His performance against St. Johnstone this week was one of his best yet for the club, and if he keeps improving at this rate he will be a different beast by crunch time at the end of the season.
It is a massive coup for Rangers to have turned down such big money for a player, who would have been their record sale if they had sanctioned the move.
It shows that the Ibrox club are heading in the right direction under Graeme Murty, who has led the club brilliantly this season.
Hopefully Morelos can indeed push on and be the catalyst for a famous season at Ibrox, before even bigger bids inevitably arrive in Dave King’s inbox this summer.