Candeias contract sends out THIS clear message

With today’s confirmation that Daniel Candeias has signed a one year extension to his contract, manager Graeme Murty and the football staff at Ibrox have made a further clear message to both fans and players alike.

Candeias follows hot on the heels of Wes Foderingham (2020), James Tavernier (2021), Josh Windass (2021), and Alfredo Morelos (also 2021) in increasing his stay in Govan, with his new deal taking him up till summer 2020.

In the cases of Tavernier, Windass and Morelos, Rangers were both rewarding performances with a longer deal and higher wages, while protecting the value of young assets ensuring Rangers will not lose these players for below market value. In all cases, they have to be respected for helping the club get more for them in the event of a sale, even if an increased wage helps a bit!

There is of course the chance they all see their futures at Ibrox now, and that is also genuinely fair enough.

The Candeias situation is more interesting though – his extension is a year less than the other three, meaning he is being less viewed as a sell on asset (he is 30, after all), but is being rewarded for a pretty impressive maiden season in Govan with the SPL’s most prolific assist provider to boast of on his CV.

In his case, Graeme Murty appears to be confirming, on pure football terms, the deal has been extended for the player’s own future security and is also a signal the Portuguese is an absolute stick-on first team starter under him. The same is almost certainly the case with Foderingham, who got one less year than aforementioned three but was similarly rewarded late last year.

As for Candeias, he and Tavernier have formed a formidable partnership on the right, and if all these deals are taken at face value, beyond the financial and asset side of things, Graeme Murty is indirectly shaping his first team.

He has seemingly verified Foderingham (albeit that was before he was installed permanent boss) Candeias, Windass, Morelos, Greg Docherty (signed on a four year deal till summer 2022), Declan John (signed a three and a half year deal) and Tavernier as all critically viewed as the building blocks around which the team is growing.

We will see if Jamie Murphy, Sean Goss and Jason Cummings join that list.