Concerned Barry Ferguson insists Rangers must be more ruthless over player contracts and learn from Celtic's stance on selling top stars.
Gio van Bronckhorst and sporting director Ross Wilson face a busy few months with a whopping 10 players approaching the end of their Rangers contracts. The status of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent has started to concern Ibrox fans, with both players free to sign pre-contract deals with other clubs from January, with Scott Arfield, Allan McGregor, Steven Davies and Ryan Jack also among the first-team stars who could walk away next summer.
Ferguson insists Rangers should not have allowed themselves to get in a situation where valuable players can leave for nothing, as he pointed to the attitude of Parkhead transfer chiefs. The likes of Ryan Christie, Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard were all sold as they approached the final 12 months of their deals to bring valuable funds into Celtic Park.
Boss Ange Postecoglou has openly stated that he has no issues with selling players at the right price with the winter window rapidly approaching. When asked about Postecoglou's stance, Ferguson told The Go Radio Football Show: "That is their trading model.
It has been that way for a number of years, and they don't allow anybody to go into the final year of their contract if they are a big player who is worth a lot of money. It looks to me as if he thinks one or two players might go for a fair bit of money, then he always has a back up plan.
"He will identify players to come in. That is what Rangers have tried to do over the last number of years.
"They have done it with Nathan Patterson, they have done it with Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey. They were lucky with Connor Goldosn, because he ran his contract right down.
"But they are in a sticky situation at this moment in time with Ryan Kent and Morelos. I don't think Celtic would allow that to happen, for a player to go into the final year of their contract."
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