Rangers manager Philippe Clement has confirmed the club is speaking to Ross McCausland and the Ibrox boss is optimistic for a positive outcome to the negotiations.
The Northern Ireland international, with such a dramatic rise to prominence over the course of a dramatic 8 days, is under huge speculation right now, with at least four clubs certainly interested in him and Ibrox Noise sources telling us Italian side Atalanta, currently 5th in Serie A, could be set to test Rangers with a £3M bid in January.
With his being out of contract in the summer, that would be a very tidy sum for Rangers to make, which is why the club is very keen to tie him down longer, to absolutely hike his value, and Clement believes it’s going to happen.
He said:
“We are talking with him about that (a new deal) and I have a good feeling around that, but the same thing (as player rumours), it needs to be on paper first.”
On other clubs’ interest he said:
“I have no idea about that and that’s always something for the player and his agent.”
And on his prospects of remaining:
“I’ve been very clear on Ross. I could have treated the situation in a different way, and first signed a contract before to let him play, to start. I didn’t do that because I know how important Glasgow Rangers is for us and after this game against Livingston and the good performance he gets also the international call so that’s also because he started the game.”
Admittedly this isn’t mega clear what he’s actually getting at here, but he went on:
“So I think we’re on the right way, I have totally trusted it’s going to be a positive story.”
Long story short, Philippe believes Ross will sign the new deal and fend off interest from all other clubs. If he does sign the new deal, Atalanta’s potential £3M deal would fall well short, and Rangers would seek a critical minimum of three times that, likely a lot more.
McCausland is a big part of the picture at Rangers now, and Rangers do not want to lose him.
By Clement’s word, it doesn’t look like we will.