Gary Cahill’s confirmation of his Crystal Palace departure yesterday timed rather acidically with Connor Goldson’s ongoing contract issues.

Rangers have been loosely linked with the ex-England international for quite a few weeks now, and with his exiting Palace as a lucrative Bosman who still has a few years left in the game, it’s led again to the Rangers angle.

He is, of course, another former teammate of the manager, and like most of football has nothing but massive respect for Steven Gerrard.

Is Cahill to Ibrox realistic? Yes, it is.

The man has made his money in football and he is affordable in the £35,000 range. He would obviously be taking a wage cut from his reputed £65K salary at Palace, and would clearly be Rangers’ highest earner, but the chance to join Stevie, the champions, ex-England team mate Defoe and another crack at the CL might just too strong to resist.

If, that is, Rangers want him.

Defence, at present, is ok – Goldson, Helander, Balogun, Katic and Simpson.

Having shipped out George Edmundson Stevie would be reluctant indeed to simply replace him with Cahill and restore a bulky 6 defenders to the roster.

But as a potential Goldson replacement? It’s a good lingering threat to the vice captain to buck up his ideas on a new contract because Cahill replacing him wouldn’t be the worst solution if it came to it.

And now that the ex-Chelsea man is available, Goldson could be under some pressure.

Perhaps Rangers fans would prefer Cahill period.

You tell us…