KYLE LAFFERTY is edging closer to a return to Rangers — as they knocked back a Bordeaux bid for Alfredo Morelos.
SunSport can reveal further talks between Hearts and Gers have taken place, with the 30-year-old Northern Ireland cap hopeful a deal can be struck in the next 48 hours.
The Jambos rejected Gers’ initial £200,000 bid, but with Craig Levein keen to take Lee Wallace back to Tynecastle they haven’t walked away from the negotiating table.
Rangers are prepared to offer outcast Wallace as a makeweight in the deal, with further talks planned for Thursday as Steven Gerrard chases his 11th summer signing.
However the Ibrox boss doesn’t want to lose striker Morelos.
And Gers rejected a £3.75million offer from French Ligue One side Bordeaux after turning down bigger bids from China for the Colombian last season.
Gerrard leads his side into a Europa League third-round qualifier against Maribor with a 3-1 first-leg lead.
And he has vowed he won’t park the bus.
Gerrard said: “We’ve got ambitions of playing in the Europa League.
“We can’t be coming to every away venue and saying ‘Now it’s time to defend for 90 minutes’. We come here to win.
“I’ll be selecting players who can get that all-important goal.
“That’s what big players do. They come to difficult places and get goals in games like this. That’s not to say we will go crazy, go gung-ho and take all kinds of unnecessary risks.
“Our plan will involve trying to defend with a good, strong performance, but carrying a threat as well.”
If Gers qualify they will face a play-off against either old foes Progres Niederkorn or Russian side Ufa.
Gerrard has a dilemma at left-back, with Jon Flanagan suspended and Borna Barisic cup-tied.
Lee Hodson and Andy Halliday both travelled, with the latter set to play.
