Rangers face rebuild with 5 players out of contract this summer - and 3 big stars out of contract in 2023

Rangers could face a big rebuild over the next one-and-a-half years, with several big stars’ contracts coming to an end.
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Rangers have achieved great success with their current squad, winning the Scottish Premiership last season and ending Celtic’s hopes of an unprecedented 10-in-a-row, and then reaching the Europa League semi-finals this season.

The Gers have become one of the most consistent performers in Europe’s second biggest club football tournament, reaching the latter stages regularly.

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While RB Leipzig are 1-0 up in their Europa League semi-final tie, following Angelino’s late strike in the first leg, Rangers are not out of it and will hope to progress at Ibrox and reach their final European final since 2008.

However, manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst could soon have another big challenge on his hands - a squad rebuild.

What Rangers players are out of contract in 2022?

According to the Transfermarkt website, seven current players are set to depart the club this summer.

This includes the two loan signings - Aaron Ramsey, whose injury and fitness problems have relegated him to sporadic appearances, and Amad Diallo, who arrived with huge potential from Manchester United but has failed to live up to the billing.

Connor Goldson is out of contract this summer.Connor Goldson is out of contract this summer.
Connor Goldson is out of contract this summer.
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Leon Balogun has been at the club since 2020, earning a new contract in 2021, but the centre-back has found his game time limited this season, in part thanks to the development of Calvin Bassey.

Four big players whose contracts are up this season are centre midfield pairing Steven Davis and Scott Arfield, goalkeeper Allan McGregor, and centre back Connor Goldson.

McGregor, who starred in Rangers’ last European cup final in 2008, is now 40 and could retire this summer.

37-year-old Davis could also leave the club this summer, with the veteran midfielder yet to pen a new contract. Arfield, meanwhile, has said he’s eager to remain at the club.

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Goldson would probably be the biggest loss for Rangers. The centre back, a £3m signing from Brighton in 2018, has been among the best defenders in the league since his arrival and has been a constant presence for the Ibrox club. However, the 29-year-old looks like he might depart in the summer, with manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst saying there had been no update on his contract situation last month.

What Rangers players are out contract in 2023?

The bigger issue for the Ibrox club is the stars they could lose in 2023, with six players out of contract - including two big names.

Goalkeeper Robbie McCrorie and injury-hit defender Filip Helander are both out of contract in the summer of 2023.

Two big midfielders who could depart Ibrox in 2023 are Ryan Jack and Joe Aribo. Jack, who arrived from Aberdeen in 2017, signed a new contract in 2019. However, injury problems have meant he have limited his game time since then.

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25-year-old Aribo arrived from Charlton Athletic in 2019 and progressed since then, becoming an important player for the Gers and improving his goal record season-on-season.

The two stars - and perhaps Rangers two best players - who could depart in the summer of 2023, are winger Ryan Kent and striker Alfredo Morelos.

Kent arrived at Ibrox on loan from Liverpool in 2018 and impressed enough to earn a £7.5m move the following summer. The left winger has been among Rangers best players since then and has been particularly good in their big Europa League games, with his speed and dribbling often causing problems for opposition defenders. Rangers will hope to keep him, but he has been linked with a return to England and big Premier League clubs.

Meanwhile, the controversial Colombian striker, Morelos, has been at Ibrox since 2017. While he has impressed in the Scottish Premiership, like Kent his best performances have often been in Europe. He’s now one of the record goalscorers in the history of the Europa League, including strikes against Dortmund and Red Star Belgrade this season. He has been linked with some big clubs around Europe.

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van Bronckhorst has said that the club will hold talks with Morelos, Kent and Aribo to extend their deals. The big question for Rangers is, if the three opt not to pen new deals, would they rather cash in on them this summer - which could bring in eight-figure sums for Kent and Morelos in particular - or see them leave for free in 2023?

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