Steven Gerrard has confirmed Rangers have opened negotiations with Jermain Defoe over a new contract, but admits the veteran striker is taking his time over the right decision for himself going forward.
The former Spurs hitman scored another trademark clinical goal, his first-ever against Celtic at the weekend, and as we told you a week or so ago, he’s a player who surprisingly Rangers want to keep in the playing group despite his advancing years.
Gerrard’s admission does suggest this wouldn’t be a decision Defoe would take lightly, and it’s far from a foregone conclusion that the clinical finisher will indeed take Rangers up on their offer.
Defoe is of course a much-respected member of the Rangers squad, and is someone others learn so much from, but his playing time has a limited spell left in it, and if he does take the contract offer up, it will be a sparing use of his qualities.
Indeed, it does seem this is something Rangers want more than Defoe does, and the offer has been made with the 38-year old left to his own devices and some dialogue with Stevie to make his decision in his own time.
We’ll see.