The contract of Rangers vice-captain Connor Goldson might be ticking down amid links down south, but all is not lost when it comes to the defender’s Champions League ambitions.
Reports this week had Gers fans looking beyond Connor’s influential time at Ibrox as the 29-year-old was linked with a move to Nottingham Forest or West Bromwich Albion.
The two English Championship sides are in the upper half of the English second tier and could potentially offer a more competitive salary than the one on the table at Ibrox.
After four seasons with the Gers, Goldson’s next move will probably be the last substantial contract of his career and Connor is clearly weighing up his options before making a decision.
That’s despite the Scottish Sun claiming that a Connor Goldson Rangers exit “looks certain” as his contract slowly ticks down.
But whilst there was surprise at links to the Championship – Rangers fans believing their defensive marshal capable of a Premier League stint – Goldson’s future isn’t decided just yet.
Champions League football could convince Connor Goldson to sign Rangers deal
According to the Scottish Daily Express, Connor Goldson could be convinced to stay at Rangers if the club manages to win the title and qualify for the Champions League.
This is undoubtedly the highest level of club football and from a purely footballing perspective, Goldson is unlikely to get the chance to play in the competition down south.
Unless the defender was eventually to move abroad in his career, that means that Rangers are best placed to provide Connor Goldson with the Champions League football he craves.
Claiming that qualification for the tournament could be worth £35m to Rangers, with Group Stage qualification almost guaranteed for this season’s Scottish Premiership winners, the report also claims that the financial boost would allow Rangers to offer more lucrative wages.
Approaching 200 appearances for Rangers, Connor Goldson is a team leader and has been a huge part of the club’s rebuilding job since joining in 2018.
If the big man does opt to leave in the summer, then he’ll go with the respect and appreciation of most Rangers fans but equally, supporters will likely be delighted to see the defender sign.
Meanwhile, the conversation rumbles on surrounding one Rangers-bound defender who has been handed an early chance to win over the Ibrox support.