Connor Goldson issues Rangers contract update and calls on club officials to go all out to keep rising star Nathan Patterson
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Six months after Rangers boss Steven Gerrard stated the club were in talks with Connor Goldson over contract extension, the defender confessed he has no idea what stage negotiations are at.
The imposing centre-back has been a key part of the Light Blues rear-guard in recent seasons, producing several outstanding displays as he helped the club end Celtic’s hopes of securing 10-in-a-row during a dominant unbeaten domestic campaign last term.
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Hide AdGerrard confirmed in April he was optimistic the 28-year-old would sign a new deal and the player dropped a big hint that he was ready to extend his stay at Ibrox during the summer after stating “Do we want to go on now and win 56,57, 58 or do we just want to be known as the team that won 55?
“Personally, that’s where my head is at and I think the gaffer will be drilling that home every day to make us try and go on and hopefully dominate.”
Despite all of those positive rumours, supporters will be concerned that talks have now stalled after Goldson issued an update during his press conference.
He said: “No, I haven’t heard anything. To be honest, I haven’t really spoke to my agent or the club recently so I really couldn’t tell you where it’s at.
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Hide Ad“I’m just focused on playing football and making sure this club wins. We’ve got an important run of games and I need to be at my best to help the team win those games.”
Goldson was effusive in his praise of fellow defender Nathan Patterson who has been attracting interest from English Premier League clubs, with Everton set to launch another bid for the Scotland international.
However, Goldson insists he is the future of Rangers and has urged club officials to go all-out in an attempt to keep one of the country’s brightest young prospects.
He added: “There’s not too much advice I can give him. It’s his own unique situation that he’s in. It’s credit to himself and all the hard work he’s put in over the years.
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Hide Ad“All I can say is I think Nathan Patterson is the future of this football club. He’s an amazing player, everyone I have spoken to about him speaks really highly of him.
“On and off the pitch, he wants to learn and I’ve really enjoyed playing next to him when he’s played.
“He’s a young boy full of energy but at the same time he’s got amazing qualities going forward and defending, so he’s a player I hope Rangers keep for a long time.
“I think it’s important for Nathan to play games and it’s important for this football club that he’s here for many years.
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Hide Ad“As I said, I do believe he is the future. He is probably one of the best young kid that I’ve seen, especially defensively.
“I think as a defender it’s always hard when you are young. People have dips in their performances and make mistakes but so far since I’ve been around Nathan he hasn’t done that.
“He’s a credit to himself. He works so hard every day in training. You can see the attitude that he has got to learn and to improve which he’s done ever since he’s been with the first-team.
“The Premier League is the biggest league in the world I know at some stage in his career I know he will play at that level.
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Hide Ad“But I think for now Rangers need to do all they can to keep him here.”
Due to injuries and covid-issues, Gerrard has been forced to rotate his backline on several occasions this season, but Goldson admits they cannot use that as an excuse for their dip in form.
Ahead of facing Danish outfit Brondby in a crucial Europa League encounter tonight, the former Brighton star believes it would be unrealistic to go through an entire season without making alterations.
He admitted: “You’d love to have a settled team week in, week out but at the same time we play 60 games each season, so it’s impossible for that to happen.
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Hide Ad“The gaffer has built a squad with two players in each position and everyone being ready to play and that’s the standard we should be at.
“It was exactly the same last year so just because there’s been a few dips and a few bad results in our season so far, we can’t start blaming the amount of changes to the team.
“We’ve got a big squad here and everyone is good enough to play and get to the level that we set. It’s up to individuals when they get their chance to play well enough to keep the shirt.
“Obviously our first two (Europa League) group games haven’t gone to plan and if we want to keep playing in Europe after Christmas then this game is massive.
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Hide Ad“We’ve already lost one of our home games at Ibrox, so we need to go on a run in the group.
“When you play for Rangers, you need to win every single game. That’s the demand and expectancy this club sets and we set on ourselves.”
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