Crucial £27k-p/w Rangers beast who seemed set to leave could now pen new deal - on one condition

Rangers could keep hold of Connor Goldson if they retain the Premiership title, according to The Scottish Daily Express. 

It’s long seemed likely that the 29-year-old would leave Ibrox upon the expiry of his contract in the summer.

In the autumn, The Daily Record‘s Keith Jackson said that it was ‘hard to see’ a solution to the contractual ‘stand-off’, and colleague Fraser Wilson admitted the situation was looking ‘ominous’.

According to figures from Salary Sport, Goldson – who joined Rangers from Brighton in 2018 – is already the second-highest earner at the club on £27,000 per week, behind only Alfredo Morelos.

The Scottish Daily Express‘ Lindsay Herron wrote that, while ‘it has been anticipated’ that Goldson will leave Ibrox, he may actually be open to staying put if Rangers win the league and duly qualify for the 2022/23 Champions League group stage.

Rangers would bank £35m through qualification for that tournament, and that could enable them to offer Goldson a ‘more lucrative’ contract. It would also give the English defender the opportunity to test himself at the highest level of the European game.

Keeping Goldson would be a huge, and indeed unexpected, boost for Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Rangers.

The centre-back was named in the 2020/21 Premiership Team of the Season, an indication of the crucial role that he played in the Light Blues’ title success. The 29-year-old remains one of the first names on the team sheet, starting 20 of the Gers’ 21 league matches so far this term.

In light of this report, you may wonder how many other Rangers players might abandon any thoughts of leaving if Ibrox offers the allure of Champions League football next season.

In other news, here’s the latest on a possible defensive