McAuley joined Rangers on a free transfer back in September, after leaving West Bromwich Albion.
Steven Gerrard seems to have finally picked his best centre-back pairing at Rangers, after trying a number of combinations – and it may see Gareth McAuley leave at the end of the season.
Joe Worrall and Connor Goldson have been used for the last four matches at centre-back, keeping three clean sheets and conceding only two goals. Nikola Katic remains third choice, being named on the bench for those matches.
It has left 39-year-old McAuley on the sidelines, less than a year after joining Rangers back in September on a free transfer after his contract at West Bromwich Albion had expired following the Baggies’ relegation from the Premier League.
He signed a one-year deal, meaning his contract at Ibrox would expire at the end of the 2018-19 campaign. Landing his signature was viewed as somewhat of a coup by Gerrard.
Indeed, the colossal 79-time Northern Ireland international brings with him a wealth of experience, clocking up 203 appearances in the Premier League and 189 in the English Championship.
But it is fair to say that Connor Goldson, a £3.5million signing from Brighton, has been the club’s best centre-back this season – the dilemma for Gerrard was who to play alongside him.
Katic started the season and impressed, before Worrall was signed on loan from Nottingham Forest. Though the latter has made some mistakes, it appears that Gerrard prefers him to the Croat. McAuley has only managed 10 appearances.
Snubbed by Gerrard once again on Wednesday night in the Scottish Cup fifth-round replay at Ibrox against Kilmarnock, McAuley watched on after his omission from the 18-man squad as Rangers earned a superb 5-0 win.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, it seems as though McAuley may leave Ibrox in the summer given that he is well down the pecking order and that Gerrard has finally picked his best centre-back combination.
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