Goldson says ‘it hurts’ as he exits Rangers for Aris

Long-serving centre-half Connor Goldson has left Rangers to join Cypriot club Aris Limassol for an undisclosed fee, saying “it hurts” to have to say goodbye to the Glasgow team’s fans via social media.

The 31-year-old Englishman, who has signed a three-year contract with Aris, spent six years at Ibrox after leaving Brighton & Hove Albion.

Recruited by then manager Steven Gerrard, he went on to play more than 300 games for the Scottish Premiership club.

But he missed the concluding seven games of last season and team boss Philippe Clement had confirmed that the centre-back missed last week’s friendly with Birmingham City following a “concrete offer” for the long-serving defender

“It’s my time to get off the train and the ride that we have been on together for the last six years, Goldson wrote on Instagram. “This is really hard to write, but I think that it is the right time to write it.

“What a six years it has been and what a pleasure it has been to be part of this amazing football club. We went through many highs and many lows, but throughout this journey I can promise you that I gave this club everything I had.

“I tried to lead by example every single day I walked into that building and strived to make the club a better place than when I signed.

“It wasn’t perfect and neither was I, but I can honestly sit here and look myself in the mirror and say I gave it my all and nobody cared more.

“I haven’t been able to properly say goodbye. It hurts that this is the way it has to be as it’s never been my way.”

Goldson was an integral part of Rangers’ 2020-21 Scottish title win, during which they did not lose a game and conceded only 10 goals over 38 matches.

He also played a key role in the side’s journey to the 2021-22 Europa League final before winning a Scottish Cup and League Cup with Rangers.

Aleksey Shpilevsky’s Aris, who were defending champions, missed out on European football this term despite finishing second to APOEL Nicosia in the regular season, finishing fourth after the title play-off round.

Swedish centre-half Franz Brorsson left Aris this summer to join Athens club Atromitos in the Greek Super League.

Goldson becomes the sixth long-serving player to exit Rangers this summer, with Croatia left-back Borna Barisic and midfielder John Lundstram both having joined Trabzonspor, while Scotland midfielder Ryan Jack, striker Kemar Roofe and goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin are seeking new clubs.

Two 20-year-olds – centre-half Clinton Nsiala, formerly AC Milan, and left-back Jefte, bought from Fluminese – are so far the only summer additions to Clement’s defence.