Gio’s Gold move

BOSS DENIES DEAL IS DEAD & PLANS CHAT WITH CONOR

GIOVANNI VAN BRONCKHORST will ramp up contract talks with Connor Goldson in the coming weeks after confirming the defender has NOT rejected a new deal at Ibrox.

Discussions over fresh terms have been ongoing between the Englishman – who is free to talk to other clubs in January – and sporting director Ross Wilson for months.

Reports on Friday claimed the 28-year-old had knocked back the new deal on offer at Ibrox.

But, ahead of this afternoon’s Premiership clash with Dundee, Van Bronckhorst said: “I spoke to Ross about it. He is still talking with Connor’s agents.

“I saw reports he has rejected an offer but that is untrue.

“They are still talking so hopefully we can have more news in the coming weeks or months.

“In the coming days and weeks I will also speak with the players about their futures. So far I didn’t because my focus was 100 per cent on winning the games.

“I didn’t have time to speak with the players personally about their futures.”

Goldson has been an almost ever-present in the heart of the Gers defence since signing in the summer of 2018.

Asked if he was optimistic the former Brighton stopper would agree a new deal, Van

Bronckhorst said: “I don’t have a clue because I am only here a couple of weeks.

“It’s always tough when you have players going out of contract at the end of the season. Maybe when I talk to Connor myself in the coming days or weeks I will have more of a view on that.”

Van Bronckhorst (inset) admits it’s “hard to predict” what type of January window Rangers will have.

He said: “The most important thing is to be prepared in whatever comes. The work will have to be done until the window opens.

“It can go either way but hopefully at the end of the window we have a better squad than when it opens, maybe.”

Meanwhile Van Bronckhorst wants to see VAR brought into Scottish football for next season.

The potential arrival of the technology has been brought back into focus after another controversial midweek card that saw Rangers beat Hibs thanks to a disputed late penalty and Celtic defeat Hearts with a goal that cameras showed was offside.

SPFL clubs are expected to vote on the introduction of the technology early next year and Van Bronckhorst said: “Yeah, I’m for VAR. Because you have situations in games when it is very difficult for the ref to see and to make decisions.

“So VAR is there to help the ref, which is very important.”