Ibrox View: Top 10 Euro stat shows Rangers must tie down Davis and McGregor to new deals
Allan McGregor and Steven Davis are proving to be immortal Rangers figures and the club must reward their consistent greatness with new deals.
The Light Blues have enjoyed a sensational season so far and much of that has been underpinned by the experienced duo.
McGregor, 39, and Davis, 36, may be entering the twilight of their careers but they are showing no signs of slowing down and their importance to this Gers side is evidenced by a stunning statistic.
According to CIES Football Observatory [15/03/21] only four players in Europe have won a higher percentage of domestic league matches as starting 11 players in the last year [since March 15 2020].
The Light Blues have five players in the top 20 with Joe Aribo, Connor Goldson and Ryan Kent all featuring but none of those twenty-somethings can reach the Rangers old-timers who hold identical 91.3% win rates.
Both have started 23 games and won 21 although they have not occurred in the same game.
The last game Steven Gerrard’s side failed to win in the Premiership was v Hamilton Academical on February 7 and Davis was only a late substitute that day. Ironically it was a McGregor own goal that handed Hamilton a point – if it was not for that McGregor would hold the Rangers record outright.
Both have been brilliant servants to the club but their contracts are set to expire on May 31 [Transfermarkt] and the club must move fast to tie them down.
Of course they might well be in close discussions behind the scenes and something could be announced at any minute but it would give great assurance and clarity to fans if something is sorted soon.
Take either of them out of the side and we are a weaker team despite their advancing years.
There is no obvious replacement for either – Jon McLaughlin is a solid enough No.2 but is nowhere near the McGregor levels in sticks while Bongani Zungu is the most natural Davis replacement in the squad, but he is only on loan and has failed to impress. The South African is a certainty to depart Ibrox this summer.
Therefore Davis, alongside McGregor must be tied down to new deals – our 2021/22 Champions League and Premiership campaign depends on them.
In other Rangers news, Athletic journalist claims key Gers duo could fetch big fees in the summer.