STEWART ROBERTSON insists Rangers will only sell their prized assets at a time and a price that suits them after the Ibrox board rebuffed an £8million offer for striker Alfredo Morelos.

The Colombian was the subject of bids from Chinese Super League side Beijing Renhe last week after an impressive first half of the campaign in the Premiership.

But boss Graeme Murty repeatedly stressed he was under no financial pressure to sanction a move for Morelos just months after he completed a £1million switch from HJK Helsinki.

Player trading could become an increasingly important part of the Light Blues’ business plan going forward but Managing Director Robertson is thankful for the backing from chairman Dave King and his directors.

He told Herald Sport: “I think it says a lot about the board and the support that they are giving us just now that they are in a position where they were happy to do that.

“It shows you where they want to take the club. People have asked questions in the past but the amount of money the guys have committed is a significant sum and they didn’t take those offers.

“It is about building the club and rebuilding the team and getting us into a position where we can compete year on year domestically and in Europe as well.

“We don’t have to take the first offer that comes in, it is about taking the deal that works for us at a particular point in time.

“We recognise that it is an income stream that is going to be really important to the club going forward.”

Morelos has netted 13 times for Rangers so far this season and heads the Premiership scoring charts going into the derby clash with Partick Thistle this evening.

Murty added five players to his squad during the January transfer window but the decision to retain Morelos could prove to be one of the most crucial as Rangers look to finish second and win the Scottish Cup this term.

Robertson said: “He is obviously the top scorer in the league and he is a big part of the plans.

“Ultimately there may come a point where you say it makes sense to take it and it allows us to facilitate plans for the next window. It is about trying to grow something.

“I know not all of the signings worked out to the same extent in the summer, but you look at the guys we have brought in in January and they have fitted in well.

“We have had several long-term injuries as well. That is something that not a lot has been made of, and we haven’t as a club ourselves.

“We do have a stronger squad and that is all part of trying to push and take the club forward.”

The decision not to cash in on Morelos came just months after RIFC plc posted an annual loss of £6.7million and external investment will continue to be required in the coming years as the board look to balance the books at Ibrox.

But Robertson hopes supporters are pleased with the progress that is being made on and off the park at present.

He said: “The chairman said at the AGM that for us to be self-sustaining we need to be in Europe on a regular basis, or it is about player trading.

“That is a key part of our income stream that we have not had for many years. In terms of the Morelos situation, we are in a position where we could refuse those bids for him.

“I think that is a positive for the fans and they can see that the club is getting onto a much stronger footing than it has maybe been. You never know what will happen there but hopefully the fans see that as a positive.”