Rangers manager Michael Beale has suggested that a new contract for Steven Davis is not off the table as the Ibrox gaffer discussed the midfielder’s devastating knee injury.
News broke this week that 37-year-old veteran midfielder Davo is ruled out for the rest of the season due to the freak training injury with major doubts now surrounding the player’s Ibrox future.
Out of contract in the summer, the 140-times capped Northern Ireland captain is in the twilight of his career and there was set to be a decision made about his future in the coming months anyway.
But this knee injury sparked fears that the adoring Rangers support would not see their influential former captain Steven Davis turn out for the club again.
No decision taken on Steven Davis’ Rangers future after injury
Speaking about the devastating injury, not only did Michael Beale suggest that a new playing contract isn’t off the table, but that the club are also looking beyond Steven Davis’ playing days.
“It’s a huge blow, I’ve been devastated ever since it happened,” said Beale ahead of Rangers’ clash with Motherwell [Rangers].
“I believe in early January he will go and have an operation then we will sit and talk. The Christmas period is a good time for reflection anyway.
“We as a club have a plan for Steven anyway, moving forward he’s someone we want to have in and around the club both as a player and a second career if he chose to go down that route.
“That was something that was already under discussion in the very first meeting I had with the club because I knew Steven had a lovely way of detaching himself from the game and seeing it as someone overlooking the game rather than a player who can only see it from his own eyes.
“I was very interested to know where Steven saw himself later in life. Having come in and seen him in the Leverkusen game and the second half of the Hibs game I thought Steven hadn’t changed in the year I have been away.
“I thought he was as sharp as ever and playing at the same level so therefore that conversation I was holding in my back pocket. Only Steven will make a decision on his future.
“He has got to have the operation and see exactly what the surgeon says and what he feels around it. Then he’ll decide what he wants to do next. Knowing Steven I think he will want to continue to play because he still can play.
“He’s not had anything like this before. The news came very sharp upon Christmas and we agreed that he will take his time with his family, enjoy Christmas and get the operation.
“From there we will see what the actual timing is. The plan right now is to have that operation with a view to returning.”
This all suggests that Steven Davis’ future is anything but decided after this most recent injury and everyone involved at Rangers will be hoping the player makes a speedy recovery in the weeks ahead.
Having played in 360 games for Rangers across two spells and having won eight major honours in a Gers shirt – including four league titles – no one wants to see the ex-Ibrox skipper go out like this.
Meanwhile, the Gers have struck a deal to see a Man United legend turn out at Ibrox next year.
