PHILIPPE Clement has revealed he has a “good feeling” about Rangers’ ongoing contract talks with Ross McAusland and dismissed fears about him departing Ibrox at the end of the season.
Auchenhowie graduate McAusland has featured regularly in the Glasgow club’s first team since Clement was appointed manager in October and started in the cinch Premiership match against Livingston away a fortnight ago.
The 20-year-old winger, who made his full international debut for his native Northern Ireland in their Euro 2024 qualifier against Finland in Helsinki last week, is out of contract at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
However, Clement is unconcerned by reports the gifted youngster may be talking to other clubs and could decide to depart in the summer and further his career elsewhere.
“We’re talking with him about that,” he said. “I have a good feeling around that, but it needs to be on paper first. Asked about him speaking to other clubs, Clement added: “I have no idea about that, it’s always something for the player and his agent.
“I’ve been very clear about him. I could have treated it differently and let him sign a contract before playing and starting. I didn’t do that because I know how important Rangers is for Ross.
“After that game against Livingston and a good performance he also got the international call and that’s because he started a game.
Clement declined to discuss rumours linking former Rangers winger Ryan Kent, who joined Fenerbahce in Turkey during the summer, returning to Ibrox in January.
“I can tell you something really important,” he said. “For the next two months I will never go into rumours because it’s no use. I will speak about players in the building.
“I’ve been more than 30 years in football and so many things can happen before players are in the building or out of the building so it’s no use to talk about rumours with me. I can only say things when they are realistic. It’s not about this case to be clear, it’s in general.”
