Rangers' hopes of signing Carlos Mendes Gomes this summer have taken a blow after Morecambe earned promotion to League One on Bank Holiday Monday, which will surely decrease the chances of him joining up with Steven Gerrard at Ibrox ahead of next season.
The Light Blues have been linked with a move for the Spanish winger ahead of the summer after his impressive performances in League Two for the Lancashire side, although a number of English Championship clubs were also said to be interested.
It had initially seemed as if he would be able to join Rangers on a free transfer as his contract is set to expire in the summer, but Morecambe boss Derek Adams confirmed that the club holds an option to extend his contract by another year, which they will surely exercise.
Mendes Gomes was the hero for the Shrimps once again on Monday as his penalty in extra time earned them a 1-0 win against Newport County and ensured that they would be promoted to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history.
This took his tally for the season to 16, whilst he also managed five assists, so he was clearly a key factor in Morecambe's promotion and one of the standout performers in League Two this season.
Now that they have been promoted, and his contract will likely be extended by another year, it seems unlikely that Mendes Gomes will leave the Mazuma Stadium this summer unless an interested club makes an offer that Morecambe simply cannot refuse.
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It is a shame for Rangers that he seemingly won't be making the move to Ibrox, as his performances this season have been superb, and he could've been an excellent addition to Gerrard's squad ahead of their return to Champions League football next season.
Given that the "fantastic" Mendes Gomes predominantly features from the left as a right-footed winger who contributes effectively in the final third, he could've been the man to step up at Ibrox should Ryan Kent depart this summer.
The former Liverpool winger has unsurprisingly once again been linked with a move to Leeds United after his superb performances in the Premiership, and the prospect of Premier League football might be enough to tempt him away from Ibrox.
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Unfortunately, if the 24-year-old does move on, then it seems that Gerrard and Ross Wilson will have to turn their attentions away from Mendes Gomes as his potential replacement.
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