Pedro Caixinha needs to introduce Ryan Hardie into Glasgow Rangers’ first-team affairs at Ibrox.
There are a number of Rangers players whose contract expires next summer. The group is a mixture of young forgotten talents like David Bates and hardened veterans like Kenny Miller.
But one of the most striking names on the list is Ryan Hardie and losing such a talented player for free would be nigh-on criminal.
Gers manager Pedro Caixinha promised him chances in the summer (as reported by The Daily Record) but he is yet to start a game this season, despite doing all the right things in the youth teams.
Hardie outshone banished Miller for Rangers Under-20 side earlier this week by scoring a hat-trick against Brentford reserves. Okay it’s not Barcelona but he can only score who he is pitted against and the 20-year-old is doing just that.
The Scotland U-21 hitman has a profile in the lower divisions in Scotland thanks to two decent loan stints at Raith Rovers and one at St Mirren and he is certain to have offers of a pre-contract agreement from other sides in the coming months.
If Caixinha doesn’t live up to his word and give him opportunities then Rangers risk losing a very decent talent.
The brilliant Alfredo Morelos is one of two strikers – along with Eduardo Herrera, who is not so good – ahead of him in the pecking order but Miller’s demotion opens up room for a promotion and it should be Hardie’s.
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