This morning, Rangers announced that Ryan Hardie had signed a one year contract extension.
The news follows a series of impressive performances for Livingston in December and participation in the Gers’ recent training camp in Tenerife.
However, some fans are questioning the length of the extension. It only ties him to Ibrox until 2020.
As he will now return to Livingston on loan, the contract only really equates to one season, rather than a year and a half.
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https://twitter.com/DeadlyDalcio/status/1086216875233722368
There seems to be little disagreement with the offering of an improved deal to Hardie.
It’s hard to argue he doesn’t deserve it after his recent SPL displays.
However, one extra year does seem a bit non-committal from Rangers.
It’s as if they aren’t quite sure, but want to hold on to him just in case.
Perhaps, it’s borne out of concerns about the dodgy knee which sidelined him for so long.
Or, maybe, it’s uncertainly about the future of other strikers at the club. If Morelos is to leave in the summer, Hardie becomes a much more important commodity than he is now.
We can only speculate on the motivations.
For the player himself, at least there is some reward for his recent efforts.
The new deal means he can return to Livingston with some sense of security, knowing he isn’t fighting for his Ibrox future.
This time next year, though, it’s back to square one.
