WANTED ST Johnstone star Murray Davidson will weigh up an offer of a new contract at McDiarmid Park over the next few days amid reports of renewed interest from Rangers.
After the Ibrox club saw a bid of £150,000 knocked back in July last year, speculation is mounting that the Glasgow giants will make a further offer for the midfielder next month, with the 24-year-old out of contract in the summer.
Ally McCoist has continued to monitor the highly-rated former Livingston star, who has also been linked with former manager Derek McInnes at Bristol City, and could potentially pick him up for nothing in the summer.
However, Courier Sport understands a lucrative two-year deal has now been tabled by Saints chairman Steve Brown, who is keen to see one of the club’s prized assets stay put.
Davidson revealed: “St Johnstone pulled me aside last week and said they were going to offer me a contract and I said: ‘That’s great, speak to my agent’. I stay out of that side of things.
“Everybody knows I can speak to clubs in January and whether anything comes up, all I can do is keep concentrating on football and I’ll meet my agent and take it from there.
“At the moment I’m happy with my form, playing for St Johnstone, and I’ll continue to do that.
“I’ve not gone into great detail with my agent yet I spoke to him on Thursday and he told me to get the two games (against Hearts and Cowdenbeath) over and done with.
“He doesn’t like filling my head with nonsense before a game, and I don’t like that either. I know some of the details and it is a good contract offer, so I’ll look at the options.
“Whatever I’ve got, I’m grateful for everything I’ve done and I’m grateful for the offer. I’m out of contract soon and you never know what’s around the corner, but if St Johnstone were saying they don’t want me then you’ve got to look elsewhere.
“But I’m absolutely delighted that they’ve said they want to give me another contract, so we’ll talk to St Johnstone me and my agent and we’ll take it from there.
“I’m enjoying playing for St Johnstone. They’ve been great to me: every time I play for St Johnstone and come into train I enjoy it. I get on great with the boys and with the manager.”
Davidson added: “I just know the basic details and even the contract offer that I looked at does show that they hold me in high regard, which is obviously very good to know.”
With Davidson earning his first Scotland cap last month and continuing to impress, it is hardly surprising clubs are said to be vying for his signature.
“It’s always flattering if people are talking about you and stuff is being written,” he added. “I can’t control that. It’s quick enough to go the other way and you are getting stick.
“I’ve always been one to say that all I can do is focus on what happens on the park.”
Even after a £150,000 bid was tabled for him last year, Davidson was able to ensure the reports did not affect his performances and he is sure that will be the case as transfer talk ramps up again.
He added: “It was more off the park. As soon as you are on the park training and playing, you’re professional enough because that’s your job. It was more when you were walking down the street.
“My whole family is a sort of Rangers family, the area I’m from is a Rangers area so, because it’s written in the papers that Rangers have put in a bid for me, people automatically look at that like I want to sign for Rangers.
“I got a wee bit stick from certain people but that’s part of football.”
csmith@thecourier.co.uk