Seven days before their first Champions League qualifier Alfredo Morelos has still to return to Ibrox.
The chunky striker played for 15 minutes at the Copa America but while all of Gerrard’s players involved at the European Championships have returned to training there is no sign of Morelos.
Since the domestic season ended Morelos has split his time between Colombia and Brazil with both countries on the UK red list requiring 10-day self-isolation in a quarantine hotel.
Last Friday Gerrard said that he had no idea when the striker would return. With media relations currently broken at Ibrox The Sun reports:
The Light Blues are due to start their Champions League journey next week, against old foes Malmo or Morelos’ old employers HJK Helsinki, the Ibrox club sure could do with having their fans’ favourite back.
Even before the crucial European tie is the Premiership curtain-raiser against Livingston on Saturday.
And with Colombia and Brazil (where the Copa America was held) both being placed on the UK Government’s red list for travel, that would make it virtually impossible that Morelos could play for Gerrard before August 3.
Anyone arriving into Scotland from a red-listed country like Colombia has to complete the mandatory ten-day self-isolation stint at a quarantine hotel.
Athletes are able to apply for an Elite Sports Exemption, which has been brought in to allow sports stars to travel from country-to-country for competitions, matches or events, without having to undergo the quarantine stay. However, there are no automatic exceptions available for those returning from red-list destinations.
Last season there was virtually no coverage of the pandemic miracle of Ibrox where every player managed to remain negative apart from Filip Helander after being on international duty.
It took the SFA more than two months to suspend Nathan Patterson after he attended a house party during Tier 4 of Lockdown with four other team-mates and five randoms.
Scott Arfield has yet to feature in any pre-season matches for the Ibrox club, Ryan Jack is expected to resume full training in 7/10 days following knee surgery.