Rangers Academy hitman scores 18 goals in China after slamming 'disrespectful' Ibrox exit
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It's been a common gripe amongst Rangers fans that the club's academy has not produced a striker capable of winning the hearts of supporters for far too long.
Rangers are a club built on the shoulders of goalscoring giants yet Auchenhowie has had a dearth of attacking talent come through its ranks for the best part of two decades.
But whilst Nils Koppen and co go about trying to reverse this trend, one former Rangers academy hitman has been making waves in the Orient.
The ex-Ibrox talent was outspoken about his unceremonious Ibrox exit little over a year ago and has now narrowly missed out on firing his new team in China to promotion.
Juan Alegria finds goalscoring form in China
Whilst the focus at the end of the Chinese Super League season has been on Gers-linked Kevin Muscat, Juan Alegria has been also been making headlines in the Red Dragon.
As Aussie coach and former Rangers star Muscat builds a title-winning squad at Shanghai Port, Colombian hitman Alegria has been trying to fire fallen Chinese giant Guangzhou back into the nation's top flight.
But as the Chinese domestic season rolls to a close, the 22-year-old has been painfully unlucky with his new team narrowly missing out on Super League promotion.
Juan Alegria fired in a remarkable 18 goals and finished China League One's second top goalscorer for the season as his team finished 3rd.
Only Zimbabwean hitman Nyasha Mushekwi scored more than the former Rangers star, the 37-year-old netting a remarkable 25 goals for title winners YN Yukon.
Yukon topped the 16 team division on 66 points, with Guangzhou finishing 3rd on 52 points, five behind 2nd place Dalian Xhizing.
Only the top two earn promotion to the Chinese Super League, with Meizhou Hakka and Nantong Zhiyun dropping down from the top flight.
Guangzhou FC were previously one of the most well-backed clubs in Chinese football, winning eight out of ten CSL titles between 2011 and 2020, finishing runner up on the two other occasions.
After financial problems in 2021 Guangzhou lost their best players and were relegated to the second tier in 2022, where they have remained since.
Colombian striker slams 'disrespectful' Rangers
The curious case of Juan Alegria is one which will intrigue Rangers fans.
The young Colombian joined the Gers academy from Finnish side FC Honka in 2021 with hopes that the hitman could follow in the footsteps of countryman Alfredo Morelos.
But Alegria never made his top-team debut for Rangers, spending time on loan at Partick Thistle and Falkirk before returning to Finland in 2023.
After a brief stint with Jaguares de Córdoba back in his native Colombia, Juan Alegria moved to China in February and has enjoyed the strongest spell of his career to date.
Upon leaving Rangers, Alegria had some choice words for the Ibrox youth set-up and claims he was let down by those within Auchenhowie and mismanaged during his time in Glasgow.
"When Rangers tried to sign me I had high expectations," said Alegria in April 2023.
"When you look at the situation or management from inside it is very tough and something I never knew about.
"I never felt as if Rangers had a plan for Juan and that cost time. I learned from the situation and it made me stronger as a person.
"I don't regret the move to Rangers but if I had the option to join again I would like to be advised on how everything works inside the club before moving.
"I never knew what was happening from the start and there was no plan. They never told me anything about the situation and why I didn't get the opportunity.
"When I joined Rangers I was playing first-team football in Finland and I was put into the B team – I thought I did well.
"The first time I asked Rangers if there was a possibility to go on loan. The second time they had an offer from Falkirk. When I came back from Falkirk, Rangers were very disrespectful.
"They never told me anything clear about the situation. Some people at Rangers made me feel as if I was never a part of the club and acted as if the move never happened. But these people don't deserve a name."
