Rangers hero voices 'concern' over defender's commitment as club warned transfer exit 'not best move'

Rangers hero Kenny Miller has questioned if Borna Barisic is fully committed to the Ibrox club as a summer transfer exit looms.

The left-back, who is yet to be offered a new deal with his contract expiring at the end of the season, could still have a vital role to play for Philippe Clement's side during the Premiership title run-in due to concerns over an injury sustained by Ridvan Yilmaz on international duty.

The 31-year-old looks almost certain to move on from Rangers after six years and Croatian media outlet Germanijak reported last week that Barisic is mulling over a lucrative offer from Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor. Some reports in Turkey suggested that terms had been agreed with the player, but those were rebuffed with Barisic still believed to be considering his options.

Rangers are still on course to secure a domestic Treble and Miller claims he isn't sure where Barisic's head is at. Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, he said: "If this had been a month ago, I’d have said it probably wouldn’t have made too much of a difference. Yilmaz has come in and has been outstanding. He’s scoring goals now and, while not the same outlet as (James) Tavernier on the other side, he’s doing his job really well.

"The only concern I’d have for Borna Barisic is where his head’s at because of his contract running down, two months left. Has he agreed to go somewhere else? Could he be protecting himself? If Yilmaz is injured, he’ll have a massive role to play between now and the end of the season in terms of trying to win leagues and cups."

Meanwhile, former Celtic striker Andy Walker doesn't think it would be a good move from a business perspective for Rangers to let Barisic depart as a free agent, given his contribution to the club over a lengthy spell in Glasgow.

He told Go Radio: "I think he has been really good. His crossing just as a left-back has been really good. It is probably not the best business move to let someone as good as that go to the end of their contract and move for nothing. Ideally you want to try and get money for any player who has been there for that amount of time before he comes to the end of his contract."

However, fellow pundit and ex-Gers attacker Jamie Murphy disagreed, insisting his future lies away from Ibrox. "I think his time has probably come to move on," he admitted. "He's been a great servant over the last couple of years, won some big games and obviously won the Premiership at one point. I don't think he goes with any bad wishes from any Rangers fans."