Jermaine Defoe's contract with Rangers is set to expire at the end of the season and despite his lack of playing time under Steven Gerrard this season, Ross Wilson should give him a new deal to stay at Ibrox.
The former Tottenham Hotspur man joined Rangers from Bournemouth in January 2020 after an initial loan spell from Bournemouth and has contributed an impressive 29 goals and 10 assists in his 66 appearances for the Light Blues thus far.
Although the 38-year-old has barely featured so far this season, making just 14 appearances in all competitions, the majority of which have come from the bench, he has still managed four goals and two assists for Gerrard's side.
In a recent interview, Defoe suggested that he was keen to play for another season so that he could finish his career in front of fans, which is something Gerrard and Wilson should definitely consider before they let the veteran forward leave the club on a free transfer in the summer.
Even if the former England international doesn't feature much in Gerrard's side next season, he could still have a big influence at the club in a player/coach capacity, as who better to coach Rangers' current strikers and youngsters than one of the best finishers of the past two decades?
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Having an experienced player such as Defoe in the dressing room could also be key to helping Rangers defend their title next season, as well as adding some Champions League experience to their ranks, so there seem to be very few reasons why the striker shouldn't be offered new terms if he is willing to take a lower salary.
Back in 2019, Alan Hutton was full of praise for Defoe, saying:
“Honestly the guy is unbelievable, to be 36 and be that fit…to keep himself in that good shape to be called upon at any time to come on and score, to be honest, it amazes me what he has done."
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Defoe is undoubtedly still in top shape despite his age and even though he might not be a regular in Gerrard's side next season, Wilson should offer him a contract extension simply because of the influence he can have both on and off the pitch.
And, in other news... Bye-bye Edmundson: Rangers signing £1.08m-rated beast surely bad news for 23 y/o