As Scotland announced their squad for the upcoming European Championships, Rangers fans had their heads turned by the inclusion of Ryan Jack.
Whilst the entire 28-man Euro 2024 squad – which will be cut to 26 when the tournament in Germany rolls around – has a Rangers tinge, no-one expected the midfielder to be called up.
This comes after yet another season devastated by injury for the 32-year-old midfielder with Ryan Jack out of contract at Rangers in the summer.
Making a return to the Rangers bench against Hearts at the end of the campaign, Jack hasn’t kicked a ball for the club since the Europa League clash with Benfica at Ibrox.
The midfielder has also made three league appearances since November, with his last coming in February.
The news has opened up a discussion about Ryan Jack now being fit enough to stake a claim for a new Rangers contract and Heart & Hand have been talking about the situation this week.
Rangers Jack contract stance revealed
Called up alongside Rangers centre-back John Souttar, Ryan Jack will be one of two Rangers first-team representatives in the Scotland squad.
But whilst ex-Hearts stopper Souttar is expected to still be around next season, the situation with Jacko is certainly less clear.
Having missed Euro 2020 through injury, as well as the majority of the last three years at Rangers, handing the midfielder a new contract is a risk plenty don’t expect the club to take.
And that includes Heart & Hand host David Edgar, who told supporters that as things stand Ryan Jack ‘will not be offered’ a new contract at Ibrox.
“Well done to (John) Souttar and to (Ryan) Jack for getting selected,” David Edgar told the platform’s Daily Update (22/05/24). “Hopefully they’ll go there.
“By the time the tournament comes around Ryan Jack’s contract with Rangers will have ended.
“He will no longer be a Rangers player and he will not be offered a new deal barring some sort of miraculous change of heart on the side of the club.
“I just can’t see it.”
Scotland manager in Euro 2024 fitness claim
It’s not just Heart & Hand who’ve been discussing Ryan Jack’s Scotland inclusion this week.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke was pressed on the decision to include Jacko after announcing the squad.
Claiming that the midfielder is different to the options the nation currently has, Clarke claims Ryan Jack has been fit for weeks in comments which further bring into question Philippe Clement’s heavily criticised team selections as of late.
When asked to justify the inclusion, Clarke told reporters: “Experience. Ryan’s been an important part of the squad in my time as head coach.
“He missed the last Euros. He hasn’t had the best end to the season for Rangers. But he’s been fit the past two or three weeks.
“He deserves to be there. He’s a midfield player that’s a little bit different.”
Ryan Jack’s relationship with Scotland has been at the crux of his struggles with injury at Rangers in recent seasons.
In 2019 Steven Gerrard publicly criticised the Scotland set-up for putting the midfielder through a double session, branding those involved ‘careless’ for exacerbating an injury.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement has also hinted that Ryan Jack would have to weigh up his Scotland future if he wants to win a new contract at Ibrox.
