“It was unexpected.” The £10 million aim validates the rumours of a Rangers reunion transfer.

Rangers have repeatedly attempted to strengthen their attacking depth and find more goals from positions behind the main striker, but those efforts have often fallen short.

Alfredo Morelos, despite his shortcomings, carried the team for long stretches – even under Steven Gerrard.

One player who left just as he was beginning to find his form was Josh Windass, and now, seven years after departing Rangers, he finds himself at the heart of an unexpected transfer link.

Windass has confirmed interest from Santos and the possibility of a return to Rangers.

During the 2017/18 season, Pedro Caixinha put together a mismatched squad but found a gem in Morelos, alongside a young Windass who had been plagued by injuries since Mark Warburton’s time. Windass contributed 13 goals and 8 assists in 33 league appearances, a standout effort in an otherwise dismal season.

Now, Windass might not only reunite with Caixinha but could also join forces again with Morelos if Santos successfully lure him to Brazil.

“I didn’t think it would happen!” Windass shared with Henry Winter and Neil Custis on Talksport on January 5. “I used to work with him,” said the 30-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of the season, referring to Caixinha’s attempts to convince him to move to Brazil.

“It was a surprise when my agent called this morning. When your contract’s up, these things happen, but it was unexpected because I haven’t spoken to Pedro in a long time.”

Could Rangers make a move for Windass?

Windass is not a traditional winger nor a typical No.10 but is currently in great form at Sheffield Wednesday. When he left Rangers, he expressed a desire to play as a central striker, a role that clashed with Steven Gerrard’s preference to use him on the wings in a system with two No.10s.

Now, Windass could be a perfect fit for Philippe Clement’s system, either as an attacking midfielder or as a second striker, a role that’s seen with Hamza Igamane and Danilo playing together.

On a free transfer, players with a similar profile could be considered, and a loan move for Windass has been discussed before.

Simply put, if Rangers had to choose between Windass or Cyril Dessers as their third attacking option…