Michael Beale shares latest Rangers news on Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent contract talks
Michael Beale admitted he is “more confident” that Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos will pen new contracts at Rangers but that the club’s finish to the season could determine the pair’s future at Ibrox.
Both Kent and Morelos see their contracts with the Gers expire at the end of the season, with both players now free to discuss pre-contract deals if they wanted to move abroad in the summer.
As reported via The Rangers Review Twitter account on Thursday, 16 February, Beale admitted to the media that the talks were ongoing between the club and players, but that silverware could play a major role.
He said: “The talks are ongoing. The club know my feelings on it, the players and their representatives are talking.
“I think the way this club ends this season will determine everything for more than just those players. I think there’s a lot to play for at this moment in time. We know the emotions in this city, based around where you finish and whether you hold a trophy above your head between now and the end of the season.
“I think that has a big part to play in terms of the makeup of our squad next year, so certainly, any comments I’ve made recently are not to show I’m less confident, if anything, I’m more confident today.”
Silverware key
If Beale is to persuade either Kent or Morelos that Ibrox should remain their future club, he needs to prove he can lead them to silverware over Celtic in the coming months.
If the Gers were to come second in the league and fail to win either the ViaPlay cup or the Scottish Cup, both first-teamers might decide the project isn’t worth investing in and call it quits at the end of the season.
However, if Beale were to mastermind a victory over the Hoops later this month in the cup final, it would be a massive factor in the pair’s future, especially Kent, who is likely to be an extremely popular transfer target in the summer.
Burnley and Vincent Kompany are reportedly massive admirers of the winger, according to Football Insider [10 February], and Turf Moor could be an attractive prospect if they do gain promotion to the Premier League and further strengthen in the summer.
Both deals hang in the balance, and silverware could be the only way to keep them at Ibrox next season.
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