Rangers allow foreign players to return home during coronavirus pandemic

Rangers will allow their foreign stars to return home while they wait out the coronavirus pandemic.

Steven Gerrard has decided his overseas contingent are best to spend the shutdown nearer their loved ones rather than isolation in Glasgow – if they wish to travel.

It means Light Blues top-scorer Alfredo Morelos has been given the green light return to Colombia, while Croatian pair Borna Barisic and Nikola Katic could also jet home together.

Romanian ace Ianis Hagi, Swedish defender Filip Helander and American utility man Matt Polster may also decide to follow the lead of Sonia O’Neill from Gers women’s team, who has already flown home to her native Canada.

Former Liverpool skipper Gerrard, meanwhile, is to continue splitting his time between his family home on Merseyside and Glasgow.

A statement given to the PA news agency said: “Rangers, like most British clubs, have players on individual programmes.

“Players from out-with the UK have been allowed to return home but are on strict programming including diet recording.

“Some players have decided not to return home and have remained in Glasgow.

“The club’s management are in daily dialogue with each player and are monitoring the ongoing situation regarding the virus.

“The manager will continue to balance his time between Glasgow and home during this period of uncertainty.”

O’Neill posted a message on Twitter thanking Ibrox chiefs for arranging her flights across the Atlantic.

The Toronto-born Venezuela international said: “A huge thank you to the staff of @RangersWFC for getting me on the next flight home.

“Extremely thankful to be home, it’s crazy to see how many people are stuck overseas but I hope to be back in Glasgow soon and this all passes over.”