Rangers' Connor Goldson 'has almost certainly got something sorted elsewhere'
The 29-year-old English central defender has been a mainstay of the Rangers backline since joining on a free transfer from Brighton and Hove Albion in 2018, but with his current deal finishing next month and no sign of a renewal, it is widely expected that he will head back down to England.
Former Celtic and Scotland forward Kris Commons believes that despite Rangers reaching the Europa League final and the success Goldson has experienced at Ibrox, he will be playing for a different club next season, claiming that he may already have his new club lined up already.
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Hide AdWriting in his Daily Mail column, Commons said of Goldson: "It's all gone quiet with regards to his future and I strongly suspect there's now an acceptance that he will be moving on as a free agent in the summer.
"The fact that he has allowed his contract to run down this far into the season tells me one thing – he's almost certainly got something sorted elsewhere.
"Some people might think the incentive of Champions League football would convince him to stay, but I disagree. It looks to me like his mind is already made up.
"It's a financial decision more than anything else. Goldson is now 29-years-old. He probably feels like he has one big contract left in him.
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Hide Ad"He could move down south to a decent Championship club, double his wages, and secure his family's future if he gets a three or four-year deal.
"You can't hold that against him because he has been a terrific servant to Rangers from the moment he walked through the door in 2018. He's now coming towards the end of his fourth season at Ibrox and he has played over 50 games in every campaign.
"He barely misses a match. He's a league title winner who helped stop Celtic getting 10 In A Row and has also now reached a European final with Rangers.
"He might well feel he has achieved all he can at Ibrox. Certainly, if Rangers can beat Eintracht Frankfurt to win the Europa League, that would be the perfect farewell for Goldson."
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Hide AdCommons, however, feels Rangers are well equipped to handle Goldson’s expected departure, with John Souttar coming in on a pre-contract deal from Hearts and the emergence of Calvin Bassey, who has become one of the club’s best defenders.
"From Rangers' point of view as a club, I wouldn't necessarily lose any sleep over him leaving,” continued Commons. “He's been a good player, but he's not irreplaceable.
"You've got Calvin Bassey already at the club, a young player who has stepped up massively over these past few months.
"He's a really big, powerful boy who has grown into the role at centre-back since moving from left-back a few months ago. He can lead the Rangers defence as and when Goldson departs.
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Hide Ad"You've also got John Souttar arriving at the club in the summer, a Scotland international with good pedigree who has impressed this season with Hearts when fit.
"Leon King looks to be an excellent academy prospect and should be involved more as a squad player next term.
"You also have Niko Katic to come back to Ibrox from his loan spell with Hajduk Split. He's someone Rangers shouldn't have let go in the first place.”