Michael Beale can set tone for Rangers return by showing no sentiment in Ryan Jack contract talks
All the talk since Michael Beale returned to Rangers as manager has been about how he is going to deal with the contract situations of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent.
The two star men are set to see their contracts at Ibrox expire in the summer of 2023, meaning they are free to sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January and there is nothing Rangers can do to stop them.
The belief is that Beale is keen to keep both Morelos and Kent at the club, but whether an agreement can be found between the parties is yet to be seen.
But something that has been lost and forgotten among all the talk is the fact that they aren’t the only players who are out of contract this summer, as key midfielder Ryan Jack also falls into that category.
The Scotland international became a key member of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s midfield at the club during their run to the Europa League final last season, but he has been plagued by injuries once again this year and has struggled for regular appearances.
His absence in the side has definitely contributed to the poor form, and many will be hoping that Beale is able to get the best from him for the remainder of the season.
But beyond that, there is a big decision to make for Beale, Rangers and Jack about his long term future at Ibrox.
The 30-year-old midfielder is into his sixth season with the club, but to date has so far made 164 appearances in that time – an average of 27 games per season.
That isn’t awful, but when you break it down it doesn’t look great. Jack has made more than 20 league appearances just once since joining the club, and so far this season has appeared just 12 times in all competitions.
He will be 31 by the time his contract expires in the summer, and the club are on the verge of something special with young midfielder Alex Lowry desperate to break through on a regular basis.
While many are expecting that Beale will show loyalty to the old guard during his time at the club, this could be a chance for him to show that there will be no sentiment and that he will be making decisions based on the here and now.
Jack isn’t of the standard that Rangers need right now, and he’s only going to get worse with age and injuries piling up.
The summer is the perfect opportunity to go our separate ways, and it would show everyone that Beale means business as boss.
In other Rangers news, Beale has made his decision on the future of Alfredo Morelos at Ibrox