Steven Gerrard has given Brandon Barker a lifeline at Glasgow Rangers, saying that he can stay at the club if he performs like he did against Lyon on a regular basis.
The 23-year-old made the permanent switch to Ibrox in August last year, but he struggled in his maiden campaign at the club. He managed to score just one goal in a paltry 12 appearances in all competitions, and there had been rumours that he could be on his way out of the door as early as January.
[freshpress-quiz id=”304907″]
However, he clearly impressed Gerrard against the Ligue 1 outfit, with the former Liverpool man saying after the match against Nice:
“Brandon has come back in an OK place, but I think the other night was the first time we saw the reason why we brought him in.
“When he plays to his full potential he can be unplayable — and you saw that against Lyon.
“But a few cameos in the time he has been here is not enough and he knows that.
“We have put the challenge to him and now the ball’s in his court.
“If he repeats that on a regular basis, he is more than welcome to stay around and help us.”
Barker has come under plenty of criticism from the Gers supporters, so whether they believe he has the ability to play a big part for the club as they look for a first major trophy in 11 years remains to be seen. For the 23-year-old though, his manager’s belief in him could be exactly what he needs to kick on.
[freshpress-poll id=”292528″]
Either way, this is likely to be his last chance – Gerrard will surely not allow any passengers in his quest for success north of the border.
Let us know what you think below!
