Andy Newport of PA Sport appeared on the latest edition of the Record Rangers podcast to discuss all of the latest Rangers news and he spent some time talking about Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor’s future during the show.
The 38-year-old stopper’s current Rangers contract is set to expire at the end of the 2020/21 campaign, but despite being the oldest member of the Gers’ squad – with the ‘keeper less than two years younger than his manager, Steven Gerrard and set to turn 39 at the end of the month – Newport has indicated that he thinks McGregor could be handed a new deal by the Glasgow club to keep him at Ibrox for the 2021/22 season.
The journalist said: “I think Allan McGregor will make a decision based on how this season ends. Obviously, it looks very much like it’ll end with a league title and I wonder if he would just think this is maybe a good chance to sort of bow out on a high but then again – potentially, we’ll have a Champions League campaign next year as well.
“What I would say is I don’t think there’s any question that Allan McGregor could play another year, given how well he’s played at this stage. Obviously, goalkeepers can go a bit longer towards their 40s, he’s going to be [39] at the end of the month, I don’t think there’s any doubt that he’s good enough and still fit enough to carry on for at least another season.
“I think it would be certainly Rangers’ preference that if they could squeeze another 12 months out of Allan McGregor, that would be what happens.”
Should Rangers extend McGregor's contract?
YES
NO
TIF Thoughts on what Newport said about McGregor…
Per WhoScored, McGregor has made 1.6 saves per game in the league this term, which is more saves than fellow Rangers goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin has made on average this season.
Additionally, he has been the Glasgow club’s main goalkeeper this term, with McGregor playing 14 of Rangers’ 23 Premiership games so far this season, five of their six UEFA Europa League group stage games, three Europa League qualification games and one Scottish League Cup game.
With that in mind, it certainly seems like Gers boss Gerrard still trusts McGregor despite his age and views him as his first-choice ‘keeper.
As a result, we feel Newport’s suggestion that a new deal is not off the table could well be correct and it will be interesting to see if the Gers do make an effort to keep McGregor around for at least one more season as we near the end of his current deal.