According to a recent report by The Scotsman, Premiership giants Rangers have refused to rule out the possibility of awarding veteran goalkeeper Allan McGregor a new contract. The 38-year-old shot-stopper has been a Rangers player for two years now, in what is his second stint at the club. Not only have the Ibrox club depended on him as a back-up option, but he recently put in a starring display in the Europa League win against Willem II. He made multiple smart saves to ensure that the Scottish side maintained their clean-sheet.
Although Rangers refuse to rule out giving Allan McGregor a contract, it must be considered that an additional year would carry him over the age of 40 while still at the club. Speaking on the matter, Gerrard said, “We are all aware of his age but he is still rated and loved as much as he was when he was younger. We will take it month by month. Listen, if he is still in the same shape and he is still producing the same performances at the time that we need to discuss it, that will be a decision for Allan McGregor. But one thing is for sure, we will certainly want to keep him around the football club.”
What Is Allan McGregor’s Legacy At Rangers?
The 38-year-old Scottish goalkeeper was originally a product of the Rangers youth system, having graduated from the academy all the way back in 2001. Despite not breaking into the first-team picture instantly, the belief that McGregor could go on to become a mainstay in Scottish football was always there. It was in 2006, after a whopping eight years at the club, that McGregor finally decided to look for alternate opportunities. His travels have taken him to Besiktas, Cardiff City and Hull City, which is where he spent a majority of the last decade.
He rejoined Rangers in the summer of 2018, which is when Steven Gerrard was appointed the first-team manager as well. The Scot quickly announced himself as the first-choice goalkeeper in the team, by playing in 31 league appearances that season.
Not just that, the veteran’s numbers were quite commendable too, having conceded just 23 goals along the way. Those figures only seemed to get even better last year, when the Scot was singlehandedly responsible for earning Rangers a multitude of points.
What Makes McGregor Such An Important Part Of This Club?
The keeper has Rangers running through his blood, and this was apparent to see in their recent European encounter against Willem II. The home side had various clear chances to open the scoring but was deterred by the efforts of the Scot. Despite being on the verge of turning 39, McGregor pulled out all the stops in midweek to ensure that Rangers finished the game as well as they possibly could. The level of saves he made were right up there with the best, and at least on paper, McGregor did not look like a player who is in the twilight years of his career.
Rangers Refuse To Rule Out Giving Allan McGregor A Contract: Should Gerrard Do It?
The summer signing of Jon McLaughlin has seen the much younger Scottish international goalkeeper make the first-choice role his own. Despite this, it takes nothing away from the quality that McGregor possesses. So far this season, the veteran has shown that he is perfectly happy playing second fiddle at the Ibrox, as long as the occasional opportunity does turn up.
The fact that Gerrard trusted him with a high-profile European encounter, especially on the back of a league draw on the weekend, shows the amount of trust that has been placed on the veteran. Keeping him for another season would hence likely work out well for both the parties involved.
