Ross Wilson spoke about being “relaxed’ with the current contract situation at Rangers during the AGM at the end of 2021, however, with 13 players in the last 18-months of their current deals, he has a lot of work to do.
The biggest issue isn’t the number, it’s the importance of those concerned to the team. This summer we have Allan McGregor, Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun, Scott Arfield and Steven Davis – Andy Firth being the other – all having played a key role in our title success but, other than Goldson, are on the wrong side of 30 and on decent wages.
For next summer it is a lot more serious, Robby McCrorie, Filip Helander, Ryan Jack, Ryan Kent, Joe Aribo and Alfredo Morelos, the players on permanent contracts who will need to sign extensions or they will be able to leave for free, that is a lot of money written off should the worst come to fruition.
Writing in The Athletic, Rangers correspondent, Jordan Campbell, reckons that three out of the five for this year could be on their way out:
“McGregor, Goldson and Davis are set to leave at the end of their contracts in the summer, which is when Helander, Aribo, Kent and Morelos will enter the final years of their deals. McLaughlin, Balogun and Arfield extending would offer some continuity, but that is still a lot of experience potentially on the way out.”
With Jon McLaughlin signed up until 2024, it would be a surprise to see McGregor continue playing beyond this season, nobody can play forever and, despite having the highest of standards, there is a noticeable drop off in his performances to the extent that have seen him make three or four mistakes already that have led to goals.
Steven Davis’s reduced game time and the signing of James Sands also spells the end for a player who was one of our best players last year, injury and a change in formation not doing him any favours as age catches up with up with the Northern Ireland legend.
Goldson could yet stay for longer but we would probably have to win the Scottish Premiership and qualify for the Champions League, that we already have John Souttar on his way just in case is a smart move that gives us some degree of protection.
Because we signed so many players at the start of Steven Gerrard’s tenure, there was always going to be a turnover of personnel at some point, to suggest that there will be a huge rebuild is way off the mark, however, getting key players on new deals at least protects their valuations even if they do move on to pastures new.