Allan McGregor’s Rangers future could be in doubt, as Austrian Martin Fraisl has reportedly been offered a two-year deal to join the club in the summer.
Rangers have conceded 24 goals in the SPFL this season, which gives them the second-best defensive record in the league – and they’ve done it with a 40-year old McGregor between the sticks.
Should Rangers part ways with McGregor?
Yes!
No!
McGregor’s age is not the only thing that could be against him in the summer with his contract expiring with the Gers, as Spox is reporting that the club have already offered soon-to-be free agent Fraisl a two-year deal to become their new No 1.
Since returning to Rangers in 2018 after a six-season absence, McGregor has been the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper at Ibrox, having started no fewer than 27 league games and already been given the nod 22 times this campaign, however, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and the board may well be looking at it from a business perspective and think that they should be moving on from a 40-year old.
So could McGregor’s time at Ibrox be coming to an end? We explore the possibility following the latest reports to emerge…
Time to part ways with McGregor?
It will be a huge call for Van Bronckhorst and the Rangers board to not offer McGregor a new contract if he feels that his body can keep playing to the standard required, simply because he is a living legend of the club – featuring 428 times and picking up 12 pieces of silverware during his two stints at Ibrox.
With the likes of Norwich City and Olympiacos also noted with an interest, if Rangers do beat off stiff competition for Fraisl and he wishes to move to the SPFL, it could appear too good to turn down given what he’s doing in an underachieving Schalke side this season – boasting a 71.4% save record, compared to McGregor’s 70.7%, while facing fewer shots than the current Gers ‘keeper (as per FBRef).
The only reason there would seemingly be to keep McGregor around would be potentially in a player-coach role so he could help Fraisl get to grips with the Scottish game, while also helping to develop and help any young ‘keepers coming through the ranks, as Van Bronckhorst also has 34-year old Jon McLaughlin, who appears to be a willing deputy, starting just 17 league games in the last two seasons.
Despite being just 22 games into the SPFL season, McGregor has already conceded more than he did in the past two full campaigns and has a lower save percentage, showing that age may well be catching up to him and Rangers should be looking to make a change before it impacts their team in a more negative way.
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