Connor Goldson has been a great acquisition for Rangers and an almost ever present since his move from Brighton in 2018.
With his four year contract set to expire at the end of this season, it appears that a parting of the ways is inevitable with no movement on his contract situation.
The central defender faced the media yesterday at the pre-match press conference ahead of the Brondby encounter and when he was asked about his immediate future, a somewhat reluctant response said more in terms of what wasn’t said, as much as the words that he used.
🎙️ PRESS CONFERENCE: Connor Goldson spoke to the media ahead of Thursday's @EuropaLeague match against Brøndby. pic.twitter.com/ch4AUIcLhn
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) October 20, 2021
“No, I haven’t heard anything. I haven’t really spoken to my agent or the club recently so I couldn’t tell you where it’s at but I’m just focused on the club, playing football & making sure this club wins.”
Some have said that the Englishman is possibly waiting to see how the season pans out and if Champions League football is secured before signing new terms or deciding on a move elsewhere, but when you take a step back there is nothing to have stopped an extension from happening – even if Goldson and his agent have decided that the time is right for a fresh challenge come Summer time, with the Premier League and a fruitful multi-year contract within reach.
Yes, it could still happen but with just 10 weeks until the turn of the year and that trigger that will allow the player to enter negotiations with interested clubs, it appears very unlikely.
Pragmatism
Rangers have benefitted from incoming players signing pre-contract terms so sometimes the same will happen in reverse – what matters most is that Goldson remains as professional as he has been up to now and continues to give his all for the club.
There is no reason why that should change, but human nature means that the longer the situation goes on, there will be thoughts elsewhere.
Ideally Rangers will receive money for any key players departing and that is exactly what the Wolverhampton-born player is – Goldson is Steven Gerrard’s defensive lynchpin.
Some fans will disagree, as alluded to by Jordan Campbell in The Athletic:
“The difficulty Goldson faces is that, due to the uncertainty that hangs over him, he faces an almost impossible task to present himself as fully invested in the Rangers cause over the next seven months as every poor game he has will be conflated with disinterest.”
The saga will resolve itself very soon, until then winning is the name of the game for Connor Goldson and his teammates.