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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Robbie Copeland

Jermain Defoe extends Rangers stay as Steven Gerrard adds experienced hitman to coaching team

Rangers have confirmed a new one-year deal for striker Jermain Defoe.

The 38-year-old will remain at Ibrox until at least 2022 and moves into a player-coaching role under Steven Gerrard.

The experienced hitman has spent the last two-and-a-half years at Ibrox and scored 32 goals in his 72 appearances.

His game-time was limited last season but he expressed his desire to stay at the club "for the rest of his career" during their title celebrations last month.

And he has taken a step towards realising that ambition by extending his stay in the Scottish Premiership.

Defoe told the Rangers website: "It is well-documented how much I love the club and the relationship I have with the fans, the players and the staff at the club.

"So to get the deal over the line, I am just delighted. It is something I wanted to happen, even before the season finished, especially the way we finished the season with winning the league.

"It was the perfect time to be at the football club and it was so special, so to sign another contract as a player/coach, and to still be a part of it, it is an amazing feeling for me and my family.

"It is something different and it is something new for me, and first of all, I want to thank the board, Ross [Wilson] and the manager and all the staff that have made this happen.

"It is an unbelievable opportunity for me and it just shows the appreciation I get from everyone at the football club which is the best feeling in the world more than anything else, and I can imagine once I get started, hopefully I will just flow into it and everything will happen quite naturally."

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