Scott Arfield may feel unlucky not to be offered new Rangers contract by Michael Beale – Alex Rae
Scott Arfield may feel unlucky not to have been offered a new Rangers contract by Michael Beale, according to Alex Rae.
The Gers confirmed last month that the 34-year-old would be leaving the club this summer when his contract expired, along with first-team quartet Alfredo Morelos, Allan McGregor, Ryan Kent and Filip Helander.
Beale admitted the decision to let the veteran depart was one that pulled at the heartstrings, but in the end both the player and club came to the best decision, after five seasons and over 200 appearances in The Light Blues strip.
“I’m pleased Ryan got an extension, although Scotty Arfield might feel a bit hard done by,” BT Sport pundit Rae told the Scottish Sun, as reported by Football Scotland.
“He scored nine goals last season and wasn’t a regular starter, but the manager obviously wanted to change things around.
“It’s important to have someone who knows about the club, though, and Ryan has that. Celtic have Callum McGregor and James Forrest, and ex-players like John Kennedy, Stephen McManus and Darren O’Dea on the staff.
“They need that at Ibrox to help the new boys understand what it means to be a Rangers player. The Old Firm are unique clubs, the fans are passionate but demanding, and you need to know how to handle that.”
Regeneration
Although Arfield was by no means off the boil last season, the club’s natural progression has meant he has had to make way for the next young stars to start rising the ranks.
Something has to drastically change if the Gers are going to compete with Celtic for the Scottish Premiership title next season, and it looks like Beale has put his finger on the problem.
The Gers’ first-team squad had an ageing look to it last year, and this is clearly something that the Englishman is trying to address over the coming months.
After capturing Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell in the winter window, he has already snapped up Chelsea youngster Dujon Sterling since the close of the season. There is a quite clear transfer strategy in place here: Out with the old and in with the new.
Arfield will go down as a Rangers legend and fans will wish him the best moving forward in the later years of his career.
In other Rangers news, a £4m bid is set to be submitted for this Rangers star who has been told he’s free to leave Ibrox according to this report