RANGERS are today delighted to announce midfielder Stephen Kelly has agreed a long-term contract extension, keeping him with the club until 2023.
20 year-old Kelly, who has come through the Rangers Academy, spent a successful season on-loan at Championship Ayr United in 2019/20, where he netted six goals in 33 appearances to help the Honest Men finish in the play-off places when the season was called.
He has already made his Rangers first-team debut, that coming against Ayr in a League Cup clash back in September 2018 at Ibrox with the Light Blues running out 4-0 winners.
As he continues his development, Stephen will spend season 2020/21 on-loan at Scottish Premiership side Ross County, with Rangers retaining a January break clause.
Lifelong Rangers fan Kelly commented: “I’m delighted that I’ve now got another couple of years with Rangers to try and make the gap and get into the first team.
“I definitely think I am capable of playing top flight football and I am excited to go to Ross County.”
Meanwhile, Sporting Director Ross Wilson added: “Stevie is developing really well and impressing all of us with his progress. He had a really good experience at Ayr United and we thank Ian McCall and Mark Kerr for the confidence shown in him and for aiding his development at Somerset Park.
“Stevie repaid that faith as Ayr’s young player of the season. In turn we have rewarded him with this new contact which is part of what we will do going forward at Rangers, reward young players when they earn it. It was part of our development plan for him to now test himself at Premiership level and Steven Gerrard has made clear to Stevie that we expect him to make a strong impact in the league at Ross County.”