By Alasdair Lamont

Miller has scored four goals in Rangers' opening two league games

Manager Walter Smith says Rangers do not need to sell Kenny Miller before the end of the transfer window, even though he's yet to sign a new contract.

Miller, whose current deal expires next summer, is considering the club's latest contract offer.

But though Rangers could lose him for nothing next July, Smith says that will not force them into cashing in on the player in the next few days.

"He doesn't have to be sold. We don't have to sell a player," said Smith.

Kris Boyd left the Ibrox club for Middlesbrough on a free transfer at the end of last season, having turned down Rangers' offers of a new deal, and a similar scenario could arise with Miller.

Smith has recently brought in James Beattie and Nikica Jelavic, but he wants Miller to stay as well.

"The contractual situation with Kenny is the same as the situation with a whole lot of players who're going into the last year of their contract.

"We made him an offer. In fact I think Martin (Bain) made him two offers now. A second one's just been made.

We know we've not got a lot of money, but we might have something to bring in one or two Walter Smith

"I don't think we've had an answer to that yet, but if we don't we just carry on as we have done over the last couple of years where players have not been able to extend their contracts to any great degree."

Asked whether a bid for Miller in the final days of the transfer window for Miller would give the club a tricky decision to make, Smith responded: "I don't think it's that tricky a decision. I've said we don't have to sell players, so that's the situation we're in at the present moment.

"We're getting near the end of the transfer window. This situation's been here since May and we haven't had an enquiry (about Miller), so we wouldn't expect one in the next three days."

Smith could yet add to his squad before the window closes at midnight on Tuesday, particularly as Jelavic is cup-tied for the Champions League.

"We know we've not got a lot of money, but we might have something to bring in one or two," he added.

"I'm not quite sure of the overall financial situation at present."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version