Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has insisted he has been happy with Jordan Jones during pre-season after reports the Northern Ireland winger has been told he can find another club.

Jones only made 14 first team appearances for the Ibrox club in the 2019/20 campaign after joining from Kilmarnock on a free transfer.

The 25-year-old suffered a serious knee injury fouling Moritz Bauer at the end of a defeat to Celtic in September – a challenge he received a straight red card for.

The player has been linked with Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough, where he started his career, and Stoke City this summer.

However, Gerrard urged Jones to keep applying himself in training ahead of the Premiership match with Aberdeen at Pittodrie this afternoon. 

“I am looking to strengthen in the forward area, but in terms of Jordan, he has come back, trained hard and been focused,” he said.

“I don’t know where that noise has come from, but it certainly hasn’t come from our side. Jordan just needs to keep his head down and keep on working hard. What will be, will be.”

Elsewhere, Gerrard admitted Bongani Zungu, the South African midfielder who currently plays for Amiens in France, is on Rangers’ radar. “We are aware of him,” he said. “But there is nothing to say on that at the moment.”

The former Liverpool and England midfielder, meanwhile, expressed hope that Joe Aribo could transfer his pre-season form for Rangers into their Premiership matches. 

“Joe has been very consistent, certainly in terms of pre-season,” he said. “He showed last year that he has got huge potential. He is a player who wants to learn and wants to grow.

“He is very consistent from a training point of view and he is aware of certain areas of his game that need improving. But he has got a smile on his face, he is really excited for the coming season and I’m delighted that he’s a Rangers player.

“Joe can go on and have the career that he wants to have if he stays focused and keeps his eye on it. Yeah, we’re very happy with the place that he’s in in terms of his form.”