St Johnstone have made a contract offer to Rangers-linked goalkeeper Zander Clark in a bid to keep him at McDiarmid Park beyond the end of the season.
Clark helped knock the Gers out of the Scottish Cup at the quarter-final stage last season and has been in impressive form so far this campaign.
The 29-year-old, who was on the bench for Scotland’s recent wins over Moldova and Denmark, was linked with the Light Blues earlier this month by the Daily Record.
It was asserted that, ahead of Allan McGregor’s potential retirement, Rangers are looking at various goalkeeping options for next season and the Saints keeper is very much on their radar.
Clark’s current deal is up at the end of the campaign, so if nothing changed between now and then, he’d be available on a free.
However, Callum Davidson isn’t going to let one of his best players go without a fight and he’s confirmed that an offer has been tabled.
“We know there is going to be interest and we’ve put the best offer we can to him,” he said [BBC Sport].
“Zander knows what I think of him and sometimes it isn’t about money, it is about other situations.
“I am hopeful Zander will sign but I know there will be other teams interested. When you are successful it sometimes has a knock-on negative effect that way, but I am glad I have people looking at my players rather than nobody interested at all.”
Saints offer new deal to Clark amid Rangers links
If McGregor does retire at the end of this campaign, Jon McLaughlin is likely to step into the no.1 role at Ibrox.
However, there’s a level of uncertainty there as McLaughlin himself is only currently under contract until the end of this season.
Robby McCrorie is tied down until 2023 and should finally have a chance to legitimately challenge for a spot, but bringing in Clark on the cheap could bring genuine competition for places at Ibrox.
He’s an impressive shot-stopper who has the second-most clean sheets in the Premiership so far this season and may be ready for the step up to a bigger club.
Meanwhile, an international boss has suggested that it’s time for an important player to leave Rangers.
