Just after the hour mark at Ibrox on Thursday night, it was Alfredo Morelos in the right place and the right time to take advantage of the vision and ingenuity of the marauding Malik Tillman. Goal for Morelos, 3-2 Rangers as the hosts edged ahead for the first time against Hibs in what was an entertaining encounter as the Scottish Premiership season resumed. 

Rangers rallied to earn a deserved victory in Michael Beale’s first competitive game back at the club, having witnessed the good and bad of his side. The recovery, control and improvement will have provided encouragement moving forward but can the same be said of his marksman who grabbed the vital, third goal to secure the three points. 

Alfredo Morelos is seemingly in a position of stalemate with the club regarding a new contract. The manager has previously made noises about wanting him (and Ryan Kent) to stay but the negotiations rumble on in the background. An unprompted offering from the chairman Douglas Park at the recent AGM suggested that there is a price point and a package that Rangers are willing to extend to, but not exceed in regard to key figures such as this pair. 

READ MORE: Why Michael Beale's Rangers can thrive with two strikers

For Morelos in particular, it is his overall career that stands at a crossroads and not just his own Ibrox story. He will be free to talk to other clubs in two weeks' time but it could be argued with justification that his priority should be to find a return to form and restore the formidable reputation which allowed him to make headlines across the continent. It was those high-profile goals on Thursday nights that propelled him to a call-up for the Colombia squad and fast forward to now, his most recent strike against Hibs can be another to act as a catalyst for forward momentum. 

The striker will benefit from the willingness of Beale to have more goalscorers on the pitch. It won’t be a case of one or the other with Antonio Colak as was the tendency of Giovanni van Bronckhorst so that will be a timely tweak that Morelos can use to his advantage as it should mean he will now get a run of games under his belt. He isn’t a stop-start player but one who produces the best returns in a Rangers team that is buoyant, confident and firing. 

In the coming weeks, we will find out the extent of any new manager bounce under Beale as well as the extent of the influence that Morelos can have on the team at a time when there is much speculation around his future. At 26, he should be heading for his peak but there is no convincing evidence of that, due to issues totally within the control and application of the player whose professionalism has been found wanting on too many occasions. El Bufalo has most likely entered his last chance at Rangers due to those high-profile previous misdemeanours but there is the possibility that his last dance can be a successful one. 

The January transfer window could bring about a cut-price move for the striker but he stands to win a better move as a free agent on the back of a sustained run of goals and prominence which will also increase the financial package he can demand. There could yet be a reprieve and a new contract but that seems unlikely due to too many variables. The last outcome would be an end-of-season release under the ignominy of further disappointment and despondency on the pitch. The latter is of no interest to either party. Nor does it reflect the significant contribution the striker made in the game against Hibs. There will be hope it's a sign of what could follow in the weeks and months ahead.