Olwethu Makhanya contract examined after Old Firm win raises Rangers exit claim

Olwethu Makhanya may not be at Rangers for a long time.

The centre-back was signed from Philadelphia Union in a £3million deal, and it already looks like a bargain.

The 22-year-old has settled into Scottish football very quickly, and become a key player for Derek McInnes.

Makhanya has formed a solid partnership with Emmanuel Fernandez, even outshining his teammate on several occasions.

The latter was linked with a big money exit throughout the summer transfer window, but ultimately stayed put at Ibrox.

Now, a new claim has emerged on the prospects of the Bears losing Makhanya after his display against Celtic.

What is the latest exit claim on Olwethu Makhanya?

Andy Halliday, who played for Rangers 152 times between 2015 and 2020, believes that Makhanya may be on his way shortly after his excellent display in the Old Firm victory.

Speaking on BBC Sportscene after the victory over their arch rivals, he said: "The only negative about Makhanya is that don't now how much longer he's going to be a Rangers player.

"I just think he's an absolute Rolls Royce of a defender."

McInnes will hope that is not the case, and that the lack of exposure from no European football will help keep him under the radar for a bit longer.

How long is Makhanya's contract at Ibrox?

Makhanya signed a four-year deal when he linked up with the Ibrox side.

That would keep him in Govan until 2030, but the Gers have the option to extend that deal by a further year, which looks like a no brainer at the moment.

The South African could be with the Auchenhowie side until 2031 at the earliest, unless Halliday's fears come true.

If that is the case and somebody takes notice of the one-cap international, then the Light Blues can bank a heavy profit, given the length of the deal that is still remaining.

What has Makhanya said about Rangers after Celtic win?

Makhanya did not comment on any kind of exit speculation after the contest.

The defender instead spoke about what the win means to the team and why it was so important

Speaking to Rangers TV, he said: “The partnership and the relationship with Emmanuel Fernandez is growing. We have a togetherness as a group, and that’s what we want.

“It was very important, especially going into the international break; we wanted to leave in a good way. “For us we want to go into this break and then pick it back up again.”

That suggests that he is keen to succeed in Govan in the immediate future and is not thinking about a departure right now.

However, the Scottish Premiership side may find themselves fielding calls that they do not want in the near future given his recent showings.