Rangers transfer news: Pundit shares Scott Arfield Ibrox exit verdict amid ‘pushing him out the door’ view
Scott Arfield will leave Rangers and likely move abroad because he isn’t getting enough game time to warrant staying, according to Peter Grant.
The former Canada international’s Ibrox contract is up at the end of the season along with a host of others, and while he has featured in most games this season it has invariably been off the bench so if a new deal is offered Grant thinks he’ll still go.
The former Celtic man is a big fan of the 34-year-old but believes at his age it isn’t enough to spend most of his time among the substitutes.
Grant said on the Go Radio Football Show, as per Football Scotland: “He’s been available and the manager hasn’t used him. You know what I think of him, I think he’s a threat all the time he’s on the football pitch. He’s still got great energy for a senior player.
“But for me, it looks as if all arrows are pushing him out the door really. I think he’ll end up going to the MLS or something like that, obviously with the Canada connection.
“I think when you’re getting to that age, you want to play as much as you can and I look at him from afar and think ‘he’s the sort of kid who will want to play all the time’.
“He won’t be willing to sit in the stand or go through another season of not playing because he’s got too much to offer. It’s alright us sitting here saying he’s great to stay around about the club and be a massive part of it. But I had an opportunity to stay at Celtic Park and I would never have done that.”
Honourable discharge
There’s a case to be made that Arfield would be the most sensible to keep of all the players on expiring deals, given his versatility and consistent availability.
His two goals to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Pittodrie on 20 December when Rangers were trailing Aberdeen in the 95th minute show he can still make a crucial impact at times.
And while he is three years older than Ryan Jack he is far less susceptible to injuries so as a cover option he is useful to have around.
But whether that is enough for him to accept should Michael Beale convince the club to put a new contract on the table is another matter.
If he wants to play every week then that is obviously his right, and he will have seen the direction of travel at Ibrox over the past year, and how the likes of Steven Davis have become well-regarded figures buried down the pecking order.
He probably has a year or two as a regular somewhere at least so it would be no surprise to see him leave, but after 230 Gers outings he would do so with his head held high.
In other Rangers news, the club are looking to buy a player out of his contract as they reach the final steps to add another summer signing already.