Bailey Rice is set to reject interest from England and abroad to commit his future to Rangers. Record Sport understands the out-of-contract Ibrox youngster has agreed fresh terms and will put pen to paper later this week.
Rice's future with Rangers had appeared uncertain after an injury-hit campaign in which he made just one appearance. However, the 19-year-old was persuaded to sign on again following talks with departing gaffer Danny Rohl.
The German's soon-to-be-confirmed exit for RB Salzburg and the arrival of Derek McInnes as his replacement in the Ibrox dugout has not changed his thinking, and he is now ready to disappoint a list of waiting suitors.
Dutch giants Ajax and German side Schalke lodged their interest with the Scotland Under-21 international's representatives. Premier League outfits Leeds and Nottingham Forest, as well as newly relegated West Ham, had also been keeping tabs on his status.
Rice won't be going anywhere, and new boss McInnes will hope to finally tease out the defensive midfielder's full potential. Long regarded as one of the brightest young talents in Scotland, Rice had been tipped to make a major breakthrough at Ibrox having joined the club from Motherwell in 2022.
He was on course for that when he was picked by former Ibrox caretaker gaffer Barry Ferguson to start a huge Europa League quarter-final clash against Athletic Bilbao in March 2025. Sadly, he sustained a season-ending injury in that tie and suffered fresh agony last term when another training ground knock ruled him out for several months, requiring what Rohl later described as a 'big operation'.
His only run-out in the season just ended was in a 45-minute appearance in a Premier Sports Cup win over Alloa under former boss Russell Martin. However, he has been stepping up his rehab work in recent months and hopes to be up to full speed for McInnes' arrival, having spent his summer working at the NXT LEVEL gym in Marbella.
