Richard Gough has told the Daily Record that Connor Goldson will know he ‘won’t play for a bigger club in Britain’ if the defender leaves Rangers at the end of his contract this May.
The Gers face an imminent threat of losing the central defender in a free transfer this year having yet agreed new terms. Goldson remains on the same £27k-a-week salary the Ibrox outfit offered him upon moving to Glasgow from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2018 for £3m.
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He has been an instrumental part of the Gers’ plans for both Steven Gerrard and Giovanni van Bronckhorst since leaving the English south coast. Goldson has featured in at least 29 Premiership fixtures in each season he has spent in Scotland, for a combined 123 outings.
Goldson could mark a personal-best season for appearances this term, too, with a further two outings to reach 34. He is also on three goals for the campaign for the third time, and hit four last season. Another assist will also mark the defender’s personal best with three.
Van Bronckhorst has additionally been assured to start Goldson in each of Rangers’ Europa League ties during his tenure. They will now face RB Leipzig in the semi-finals after beating Braga over two-legs, and have a Scottish Cup final date with Hearts after eliminating Celtic.
Richard Gough warns Rangers ace Connor Goldson he ‘won’t play for a bigger club’
Rangers hero Gough feels his former side’s Scottish Cup semi-final victory over Celtic could have opened Goldson’s eyes to staying at Ibrox beyond his current contract, too. The nine-in-a-row icon believes the win may spark second thoughts on quitting those sort of games.
Gough also warns the Ibrox hierarchy that Rangers face a mammoth spend to replace what Goldson gives. So, he ponders if the Glasgow side will see more value in keeping him there.
“You see scenes like yesterday and they might just give him food for thought,” Gough said. “Does he want to give that up? He’s a good football player; a modern-day centre-back and like James Tavernier, his appearance record is phenomenal. He hardly ever misses a game.
“Rangers have got to make a decision. To get someone of his quality to replace him could cost them £6, 7, 8m. So do they say to him, there’s a long-term contract on big money? He’s one of the experienced boys and seems to be good in the dressing room.”
He added: “Connor knows himself that he won’t play for a bigger club in Britain. He might get more money, but he won’t play at a club where he has to win every game… He’ll know that if he goes, he’s not going to play in the semi-final of a European competition again.”
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