Rangers are continuing contract talks with Bailey Rice while Ajax and Schalke circle the 19-year-old midfielder, keeping his future at the club in play as interest builds from abroad.
The timing matters because Rice has already reached the senior level once for Rangers, and his early progress has been checked by a training injury that led to major surgery. That leaves the club weighing the value of tying down a young player who has shown enough to attract outside attention, even if his first-team experience remains limited to one senior appearance.
Rice, who is 19 and plays in midfield, is now at the centre of a familiar sort of dilemma for Rangers. They want to hold on to a prospect they have already trusted with senior football, while Ajax and Schalke make the decision more complicated by watching closely from outside. For a player who has had to recover from major surgery, the question is not just about talent but about how quickly the next stage of his career can restart.
What Rangers have not made clear is whether their talks have reached the point of a formal offer, or whether Rice has agreed to anything in principle. That uncertainty is where the story sits now: Rangers are trying to keep a young midfielder they have already used, but the presence of Ajax and Schalke means they may have to move quickly if they want to keep him in Glasgow.
