Aston Villa find out result of Bailey Rice pursuit - and it's good news for Rangers

Rangers have delivered a major boost to their transfer model by securing Bailey Rice on a new contract.

As the Daily Record report, Rice is set to commit his future to Rangers after speculation over whether he would leave on a free this summer.

Premier League sides Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest had all registered their interest in signing the 19-year-old.

Rangers made a £600,000 loss on player sales, whilst Glasgow rivals Celtic recorded a £31.5million profit in the 2024-25 season, highlighting that the Gers must keep their young talent at the club.

Whilst Rice has only made 16 senior appearances at Rangers, and has been dealt a succession of injury blows, the club believe that the midfielder has high potential.

In 2023, Rice became the youngest ever Rangers player in the modern era to appear in a league match, aged just 16 years and 137 days old.

Bailey Rice to follow Findlay Curtis lead

Rice is set to use pre-season to return to full match fitness, and he could be sent out on loan next season to get vital game time.

Fellow midfield talent Findlay Curtis benefited from a loan spell at Kilmarnock this season, and he could now step up into the first team.

That provides the opportunity for Rangers to sell Curtis on in the future for a profit, which is how the club needs to be operating.

Rangers could have potentially have lost out on millions on pounds had they let Rice walk away, and player trading is more important than ever to Scottish clubs due to the difficulty of competing in Europe.

Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown revealed to Football Insider that Rangers are doing everything to keep Curtis at the club, alongside Rice, and are looking to tie the 20-year-old down to a new deal.

Who should Rangers offer a new contract to next?

After tying Rice down to a new contract, Rangers now need to make decisions over three more players whose deals will expire next summer.

Defenders Dujon Sterling and John Souttar, alongside goalkeeper Jack Butland, all face leaving Ibrox on a free in a years time.

33-year-old Butland would look the most likely to leave on a free, with little re-sale value in the goalkeeper.

Sterling and Souttar remain important defenders for Rangers, but McInnes' expected arrival could change the status of some players' futures.