Connor Goldson’s contract situation remains a complex one, the vice-captain indicating that he wants to stay but, at the same time, hinting that he isn’t fully convinced that his future lies at Rangers.
The club seem quite content that they could lose a player valued at £6.75million for free and it can only be assumed that the powers that be feel that they have got their money’s worth out of the £3m initially spent to lure him from Brighton.
Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League striker, Noel Whelan, believes that Goldson holds all the cards and that something doesn’t quite sit right with the centre-half’s comments:
“It’s strange. I mean he’s kind of contradicted himself.
“He says he wants to stay but also wants to see progression. In my opinion, there has been progression every single season for Rangers.
“From where they’ve come from to where they are now today I think progression is definitely being made every single season.
“Whether there’s not been any conversation about contracts, I’m sure agents are working in the background. When you’ve got a year to go, they are not just sitting on their hands.
“I’m sure they’re on the phone as well trying to find options. Maybe to make a move happen if he doesn’t get the contract and money that he wants.
“Players coming down into the last year of their contracts are the ones in control. So whatever they offer him has got to be worthy.
“Watch this space, see how this one pans out. It doesn’t seem to me, right now, that he’s fully committed to the cause if he’s asking for progression.
“In my opinion, Rangers have progressed a hell of a lot over the past two, three years.”
In the summer we were told that a deal was all but done to extend Goldson’s contract and yet nothing was ever announced to the extent that only last week he said that he hasn’t heard anything from the club or his agent for ages.
Whelan is right, there is no way that his agent hasn’t been in contact with clubs in the Premier League to see if they are looking for an experienced centre-half, one with real leadership and organistational skills who never misses a minute of training never mind matches, a player of his quality on a free transfer will be highly sought after.
Goldson knows what he means to the support, the manager and the club and only he truly knows what his plans are, when he talks about “progression” he can only be implying that he wants to see Rangers in the Champions League before he commits to longer – the easiest to make this happen is to rediscover his top form and lead us there.