Lee McCulloch has predicted a summer Ibrox exit, in his Evening Times column.
The former Gers captain believes Kyle Lafferty will be on the move after failing to make an impact during his second stint with the club.
He signed a two-year contract in August, but things haven’t gone as hoped.
“It just hasn’t worked out for Kyle Lafferty second time around at Rangers,” wrote McCulloch in the Evening Times. “Now it looks like his time will be cut short and he will leave Ibrox at the end of the season.”
“I am disappointed at how the campaign has gone for Kyle because he proved last year when he got 19 goals for Hearts that he can still score at this level. Of course, he had shown that with Rangers before.”
“As a signing, when he first came in I thought it was a no-brainer, but it just hasn’t happened for him.
“He is the type of forward that needs a run of games, but he was never going to get that this season because of the form of Alfredo Morelos. He has ended up being a bit of a bit-part player and it looks as though, come the end of the season, he will be one that will leave.”
Verdict
So far, there have been no reported bids for the Northern Ireland international. However, this seems a fair assessment from McCulloch.
Despite costing a reported £500k [Evening Times], Lafferty has notched just six goals in 30 appearances under Steven Gerrard, as his role has steadily decreased throughout the season.
Looking ahead, a transfer makes sense for both parties. For Rangers, it would free up money to reinvest in the market. For the player, it offers an alternative to watching on from the sidelines. He’s mainly had to be content with the bench this campaign and if the Gers strengthen further, he might not even make match day squads.
Many had high hopes when he returned to the club last summer. However, unfortunately, it looks time for both the Gers and Lafferty to cut their losses.
