Ryan Jack delighted to sign one-year contract extension at Rangers

Ryan Jack insists the decision to sign a one-year extension to his contract at Rangers was a “no-brainer”.

The 31-year-old midfielder joined the Govan club from Aberdeen in 2017 and his new deal will see him into his seventh season at Ibrox.

Jack told the club’s official website: “I am obviously delighted with it, it has been in the background for a little while.

“I am delighted to get it done before the summer and I can go and focus over the off-season.

“I have played for the club for a number of years now, I love playing for the club and I love being here.

“I’m settled and my family are settled so when I initially spoke to the manager and he said he wanted me to stay it was a no brainer.”

Manager Michael Beale said: “I am delighted Ryan has signed a contract extension with the club as we continue to work behind the scenes in preparation for next season.

“I have worked with Ryan for a number of years, both in my previous time with the club and more recently since I returned, and he is a fantastic midfielder and an important member of our squad.

“The quality and experience he has is invaluable for this group as we all look forward to an exciting summer and 2023-24 campaign.”

Speaking at Rangers’ press conference ahead of the trip to Easter Road on Sunday to play Hibernian, Beale, boosted by last week’s 3-0 win over Celtic at Ibrox, expanded on the reasons behind Jack’s new deal.

The former Gers assistant coach, who revealed central defender Connor Goldson is a doubt for the match against Hibs, said: “He is a national team player, a Scottish homegrown player.

“With a lot of experience leaving this summer it was important that I have someone like Ryan in the squad.

“He has been available over 80 per cent since I have come back in, so there is a lot of questions about that and that is the reality.

“He performed really well last weekend, he performed really well for the national team in the last break and I am delighted he is staying around for a bit longer.”

Asked about the heavy speculation linking Rangers with Los Angeles’ 24-year-old Ecuador midfielder Jose Cifuentes, Beale said: “Not really close if I am honest.

“These things pick up speed in the newspapers and everything. He is obviously a good player, a very good player but his contract runs to December which seems a long, long way away.”