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McLeish expects 'new Alex Rae' to be offered Rangers contract
Alex McLeish has tipped Rangers to offer Scott Arfield a contract extension after impressing under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
The former Gers manager, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, compared the 33-year-old’s influence to that of former Ibrox star Alex Rae.
Arfield has played in all three of Van Bronckhorst’s games in charge so far, starting and scoring against Livingston (28 November).
The midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and revealed last month (3 November) there have not been any talks over a new deal.
Meanwhile, Ibrox chief Ross Wilson revealed at Rangers’ AGM on Tuesday (30 November) the club will review the contracts of “older players” towards the end of the season.
McLeish suggested Van Bronckhorst would push to get Arfield tied down.
“I think it’s it’s important to keep hold of these experienced players,” McLeish told Football Insider’s Russell Edge.
“Back in the day, I had Alex Rae at Rangers. I went to see him playing for Wolves, I heard his contract was up at the end of the season.
“I knew he had an absolute longing to come back to Rangers and when I went to see him, it was a no brainer. So I phoned Sir David Murray up after the game and said: ‘Chairman, we’ve got to take this guy.’
“He was all action, all over the pitch. I’m saying this because I think Arfield is kind of similar to Alex Rae. I believe that Giovanni will want that kind of player around.”
Arfield has made 18 appearances across all competitions for Rangers this season.
However, only five of those came in the starting XI under Steven Gerrard.
In other news, Scottish pundit predicts Rangers favourite could quit after what he heard this week.