Rangers boss Graeme Murty has admitted Alfredo Morelos has had his head turned by big-money interest but dismissed the possibility of the player moving to China before the summer.

The Ibrox club have rejected a third bid of £8million from Beijing Renhe for the striker who was an unused substitute as a Josh Windass hat-trick saw off Fraserburgh on Wednesday night.

While the Scottish transfer window closed at midnight on Wednesday, the fact Chinese clubs can still sign players until February 28 theoretically leaves Rangers still vulnerable. The Ibrox club inquired about a loan bid for Swansea striker Oli McBurnie on Wednesday but a failure to get that deal over the line cemented their stance over Morelos.

Murty insisted Beijing would be wasting their time upping their offer again, and said: 'Obviously their transfer window closes later than ours but we have to protect our squad and the positive feeling we have.

'The message I have had is that I don't need to sell anyone for any economic imperative.

'I have to make a football decision based on us closing the gap at the top and being competitive in every competition we're in. I've made that decision, I want Alfredo to be here.

'Unless we can go out and spend any money that comes in to strengthen us and make us better it makes no sense to have economic pleasure in the short-term but then weaken our challenge in the long-term.'

Admitting the Colombian had been left 'confused' by events of the past 72 hours, Murty added: 'It's down to us, me and the club, to make sure he feels loved by us and respected by us.

'He's not expressed a desire to leave, we have conveyed our feelings to him and he's conveyed his feelings to us.

'He is confused at the minute because there are figures being bandied about which would turn anyone's head. It's almost designed to confuse and unsettle.

'We just have to make sure he understands our position that we want him here with us.

'We have talked about his ultimate aims and desires, I feel he has the capacity to be an international player for his country.

'He can do that by being the top scorer in Scotland and building on his game.

'I honestly believe we can enhance him and do that here. There is no reason for him to be frustrated, he is still a young man.

'We have to make sure Alfredo understands our position because we are not trying to derail anything for him, we are just trying to take care of him and the club at the same time.

'We believe we can do that, we believe we can get him to the next level.'

McBurnie, the Scotland under 21 striker, was strongly linked with a loan move to his boyhood heroes on Wednesday afternoon but seemed set to sign for Barnsley.

'There were loads of discussions going on about how we improve the squad but nothing materialised,' Murty commented.

On their comfortable victory at Bellslea Park, which saw Windass net the first hat-trick of his career, Murty said: 'We knew the pitch was going to be difficult but we came here with a really good attitude and produced a professional performance.'