"Have to cash in" - Journalist now says "pressure on Rangers" amid ongoing Ibrox contract saga

Rangers may be left with no choice but to cash in on Joe Aribo if boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst cannot convince the midfielder to pen an extended contract, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Aribo has entered the final 17 months of his £14,000-per-week contract at Ibrox, meaning his value is continuing to decrease while his long-term future is up in the air.

It appears Rangers may have a tough job of convincing Aribo to pen a fresh agreement as it has already been claimed by All Nigeria Soccer that the 25-year-old has no interest in signing a new deal.

The report suggests the Gers opened preliminary talks with the central midfielder before the turn of the year but the discussions proved not to be productive.

Aribo’s precarious contract situation has put a host of Premier League clubs on red alert, with Crystal Palace readying a £10million move while Brentford and Watford are understood to have held an interest in recent months.

Former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, who left Ibrox to take charge of Aston Villa in November, has also been tipped to be looking to seal a reunion.

Prior to the January transfer window, Spanish media reports had also linked Aribo with a switch to Leicester City.

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O’Rourke believes Rangers are facing up to a tough decision ahead of the transfer window reopening for business in the summer.

The journalist feels the reigning Scottish Premiership champions will have to listen to offers if they fail to tie Aribo down to an extended contract before the end of the season.

O’Rourke reckons the Gers cannot afford to allow the midfielder to run down his current deal and risk losing him for nothing or a fee worth far less than his true