(Image: PA)

Ajax and Schalke are reportedly battling to sign Rangers star Bailey Rice when his contract expires in the summer.

The 19-year-old suffered a severe training ground injury in November which meant he’s been unavailable throughout the entirety of Danny Rohl’s tenure so far.

He remains highly rated at the club and is on the mend after undergoing surgery. But there are growing fears he’s already played his last game.

Rice, who joined from Motherwell’s academy in 2022, is out of contract in June and can leave for training compensation if he doesn’t sign new terms. And it doesn’t look like he’s going to be short of suitors elsewhere.

Dutch giants Ajax and Bundesliga 2 leaders Schalke are both reportedly interested, with the German side said to have tabled personal terms already. The report claims Rice hasn’t agreed anything with Rangers and is open to a move away.

Rohl has largely been tight-lipped on Rice’s situation but admitted after their 3-0 win over Dundee in January that he’d love him to sign new terms.

When asked if he’d like to see Rice commit his future to the club, Rohl said: “Yeah, for Bailey, I think it’s first about coming back after a big, big injury. He is working hard in this case, and then we make a decision from our side.”

Decisions are also yet to be made on the futures of James Tavernier and Liam Kelly who are out of contract in the summer. And that’s before the club decide what to do with loan players like Andreas Skov Olsen, Nasser Djiga, Jayden Meghoma and Mikey Moore.

In Skov Olsen’s case there is a buy option in the region of £8m but the Ibrox side may negotiate with Wolfsburg to get that down if they decide to pursue a permanent deal.

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