Callum Burnside: Rangers need to tie down ‘outstanding’ talent after Team of the Year accolade
Callum Burnside’s latest exploits at Alloa should force Rangers to make a decision on his future.
The 19-year-old is currently on loan with Alloa Athletic in League One, where he has scored nine goals and notched three assists in 23 matches.
As a result, he has been named in the Team of the Year for the division, after playing a part in the Wasps’ promotion push.
That accolade has to get the Bears thinking about their future plans for the Northern Irish forward, as his time at Ibrox reaches a pivotal stage.
Rangers have tried to put a renewed focus on youth recently, and keeping one of their most promising talents would help the cause.
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What is his contract situation at Rangers?
Burnside is highly rated at Rangers, and signed a contract extension in October 2025.
That should keep him around until the end of the 2026-27 campaign, with the club holding an option for a further year.
| Burnside’s stats at Rangers | B team |
| Matches | 7 |
| Goals | 3 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Minutes played | 383 |
However, they need to ensure that his long-term future is in Govan, especially if he keeps impressing away from Ibrox, after being awarded an end-of-season honour.
Who called Burnside outstanding?
Burnside was described as having an “outstanding attitude” by Alloa boss Andy Graham.
Speaking after The Gers gem netted a hat-trick in a 5-4 loss to Montrose, he said: “You’ve got to give great credit, because his attitude’s been outstanding.
“Josh is now obviously out for the season, and, since he’s come back in, that’s him on nine goals for the season.
“He’s bagged a hat-trick on Saturday, his first professional hat-trick. You’ve got to give him immense credit for that, because I love that about him.
| Burnside’s stats at Alloa | Scottish League One |
| Matches | 23 |
| Goals | 9 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Yellow cards | 2 |
| Minutes played | 1,629 |
“He’s got a wee bit of attitude, a wee bit of, you know, I’m going to show why I should be in this team, and he’s went and shown it over the last few weeks.
“I was delighted for him to get a hat-trick. Obviously, gutted in the circumstances, but for him, from a personal perspective, it’s brilliant.”
If he can bring that back to Auchenhowie, and shows that he can work hard, he may have a chance of breaking into Danny Rohl‘s squad.
Why Rangers need to sign Burnside to a new contract
The Bears need to get him signed up to a new deal, and prove to him that they are fully invested in his future.
They also need to ensure that there is a pathway to the senior side, which is something that has lacked in recent years, as shown by Bailey Rice’s lack of development.
They are looking to improve that under the new ownership, as they recognise the value of bringing players through the academy, who have the identity of the club already within them.
Signing Burnside to fresh terms and securing his future must be a high priority in the summer, as attention is only going to increase around him, with the more accolades that he picks up.
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