Allan McGregor’s has revealed the reasons behind his Rangers retirement rethink after he agreed a new one-year contract extension.
The veteran keeper looked to have played his last game for the Light Blues when he was sent on in the dying stages of last season's Scottish Cup Final for what at the time seemed like an emotional goodbye.
But rather than hanging up his gloves, McGregor is sticking around for the 2022/23 campaign, as Record Sport exclusively revealed earlier today.
And the 40-year-old could be set for one last crack at the Champions League, with Rangers having two qualifying rounds to negotiate in order to join Celtic in the group stage.
It’s understood he knocked back a mega-bucks move to Saudi Arabia in order to stay with his boyhood heroes.
Giovanni van Brockhorst now no longer has to search for a new No.1, but another goalkeeper could still be on the agenda after third choice Robby McCrorie was linked with a sensational switch to Manchester United.
Jon McLaughlin also penned a new deal last season and was van Bronckhorst’s designated cup keeper.
Whether he’ll see more Premiership action next term with McGregor staying on remains to be seen, however.
McGregor told the club's website: “I’m obviously delighted. At the end of last season, there were a lot of games and a lot of concentration on the games.
“I then had a couple of weeks’ holiday and really thought about it and spoke to a lot of people about it, and everybody said to play as long as you can.
“After the break, that’s what I was thinking myself, so here we are.”
Van Bronckhorst added: "Allan brings us invaluable experience and leadership both on and off the pitch, and I am really pleased he has chosen to stay with us for another year.
“I have been really impressed with the positive influence he has on our players, and also the dedication he has shown to still be a valuable asset for us in a playing-sense at the age of 40.
"I feel it is important to have players in our dressing room who really understand the club, and Allan certainly is one of them."
McGregor is the third experienced player to re-sign after Steve Davis, 37, and Scott Arfield, 33 all agreed to new deals. The trio have a combined age of 110 years.
