Connor Goldson could be back for Rangers ' Premiership return against Hibs - a month ahead of schedule.
New boss Michael Beale has revealed the 29-year-old will start training again this week ahead of Thursday night’s clash at Ibrox. Goldson has been out of action since October with a thigh injury and wasn’t expected to recover until the New Year. But after yesterday’s 3-0 friendly win over Bayer Leverkusen, Beale said Goldson is in contention to face the Hibees.
The Gers gaffer also admitted post-match that he wants Rangers’ board to stump up around £5 million to buy Malik Tillman, who is currently on loan from Bayern Munich. The Ibrox club have an exclusive option on the American playmaker and Beale likened him to Michael Ballack after he netted a double against Leverkusen. He wants Tillman to stay long-term and insists he has no plans to sell Glen Kamara after he was also given a start yesterday in Govan. The Finn has been linked with a move to French side Nantes but Beale says he’s too good for them.
After Tillman’s brace and a Scott Arfield strike saw off the Bundesliga outfit, Beale broke the Goldson news. He said: “Connor is ahead of schedule. We've got a fantastic relationship and I know Connor wants to get out there and play for the team.
"There were times previously when I was here that he played when other players might not play. He's never got praise for that and he doesn't want it. That’s just the sort of boy he is.
“I won’t rush him because I want him to be fit for 90 or 100 per cent of the games between now and the end of the season. It was his first long-term injury for three or four years but we are definitely a stronger squad, team and dressing-room for Connor's presence so if he is available, great.
“Likewise with Ben Davies but we certainly won't rush them. If everything goes to plan, I’ll have four options at centre-back and not two for Thursday night.
“It’ll just be a case of where they are physically. I was pleased with James Sands and Leon King today.
“I’ve got every confidence in them for Hibs if the whole team defends like that. But the plan is that Connor and Ben will return to training in the next 24 to 48 hours, which will be hugely important to the group.”
Tillman was the stand-out performer for Rangers in Beale’s Ibrox bow with a brilliant first-half double. The manager has been hugely impressed by the 20-year-old and says he’d love to buy him on a permanent deal at the end of the season.
He said: “I’m delighted that Malik’s here and we’re going to give him the freedom to run out of midfield and get into positions he was in today. We have to let Malik go and make the game and make the team.
“In football you have ideas but players dictate and I have to allow these players to go and express themselves. Malik is a fantastic talent and we’re lucky to have him here in Scotland.
“He’s only 20 but he has a huge future ahead of him, hopefully for this club. Would you buy him? I would. It's a pretty obvious one.
“He's exactly what I like in a footballer. He can take the ball, he can twist and turn and you can see what he could grow into.
“He's exactly the type of player we want at this club. I don't know the exact fee or where we are going to get it from but if we can do it, I would definitely sign Malik, yes.
“Today, playing against a German team was important for him and the two finishes were fantastic. I don't want to go too far, but it was like how a young Michael Ballack used to play, arriving from deep and then the header off the set play.
“He's only been in the country four or five months and the style of football is different to what he's been used to but he's a fantastic talent.”
Kamara also looked more like himself for Rangers, with Beale starting him ahead of John Lundstram in midfield. He’s been a peripheral figure at Ibrox this term with constant speculation about him leaving the club.
But if he’s performing at his best, Beale wants to keep Kamara at the club. He said: "If the real Glen Kamara plays football, there will always be teams who want him.
“For the last few months for whatever reason, he's not always performed at the levels he can when he's played as a starting player. But I know how good Glen is. We have a fantastic relationship that goes back a long way and I'd always want him to be in a Rangers' team that I was coaching or watching.
“In terms of the speculation, some of the clubs that are after him? In my opinion, the best version of Glen is too good to play for them.”
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