Gio van Bronckhorst insists Rangers remain “positive” about clinging on to Joe Aribo and Ryan Kent despite the key Ibrox pair approaching the final 18 months of their contracts.
Playmaker Aribo has been the stand-out Gers player of the year candidate so far after taking his game to a new level.
His sublime touch-and-finish clinched victory against Hearts on Sunday as the Nigeria international made it four goals in his last eight games.
And £7million ex-Liverpool ace Kent is also getting back to his best form after shaking off the effects of a serious hamstring injury which ruled the Leeds target out for 11 games during his club’s busy September and October period.
The pair’s performances and the limited time remaining on both deals will not have gone unnoticed by suitors down south who will be alert to the possibility of bagging a couple of cut-price bargains.
But Van Bronckhorst knows the best way for Gers to protect their investments will be to tie the influential duo down on fresh terms and he’s hopeful new agreements can be struck soon.
The Dutchman said: “If you play really well of course you have interest in your players.
“I want to have my players performing really well, when they do that with a club like Rangers then interest will come.
“But of course we will look into the contracts as well.
“They are two important parts of the team and I’m very positive about them.
“I think the club is also very positive about them as well.
“Eventually when you’re both happy you can sign a new deal.
“We have to see in the coming months how we progress with them.”
Van Bronckhorst is also keeping his fingers crossed that Ryan Jack will make a speedy recovery after reporting on the Scotland midfielder’s latest set-back.
The 29-year-old thought he’d put eight months of injury hell behind him when he made his return from a serious calf issue last month.
But after just three substitute appearances, Jack is back in the treatment room and unlikely to feature again until after the winter break.
“I was happy with him because he came back,” said van Bronckhorst, who confirmed Kemar Roofe may also have played his final game of 2021.
“He didn’t play a lot but we could give him some minutes to play.
“But then in the last training session before Lyon he just had a moment again, really just at the end of the session.
“He was of course disappointed but he felt it wasn’t as bad as he had before.
“Hopefully we get a quick recovery for him. I’m sure that he will be with us in the next couple of weeks to train again.”
On Roofe, he added: “Kemar has had a setback with his injury and we are almost at the end of the games now before the winter break.
“Hopefully he will be fit before then, but we are not sure yet. We should definitely have him back after the winter break.”
Gers have the chance to make it a magnificent seven games undefeated since their new boss took over from Steven Gerrard when they host St Johnstone.
Last year’s cup-double winners have had a nightmare campaign so far and are currently propping up the table.
Van Bronckhorst expects Rangers will not enjoy the same kind of space they got against a Hearts side prepared to have a go at Tynecastle on Sunday.
But he said: “It doesn’t change our mentality. For me there’s no difference if you play against a team who will press you high or defend really deep.
“Our mentality always has to be the same with the way we want to play the game. Of course, the difference will be that tactically you will have to do something else, but we have prepared the team well.
“We’re confident we can create chances against St Johnstone and that’s what it’s all about.”
