Following Rangers' exit to Malmo on Tuesday night, the spotlight has been shone on certain players as the collapse is forensically examined.

Collectively the team fell way below the standards required and didn't do enough to get past a tough opponent.

Individually, there are many players, so key in delivering 55, that have failed to recapture last season’s form.

One of those is Connor Goldson.

The 28-year-old was a rock for the Light Blues last term, playing every game as Rangers wrestled back the league title with ease, going unbeaten in the process.

This season though, he looks a shadow of the player he was. Why is that?

Well, it could be a host of reasons but one being levelled at the former Brighton man is his current unresolved contract situation.

As the celebrations were going on throughout the summer, the elephant in the room was Goldson’s Ibrox future and whether he would commit long-term to the club.

This has rumbled on and on with no outcome and as much as the player himself may argue it’s not affecting his performances, it certainly looks that way.

READ MORE: The Preview: Rangers' League Cup opponents Dunfermline analysed

Speaking earlier this month, Goldson said: "I obviously don't deal with it, my representatives and Rangers are talking,” he told Sky Sports.

“I have had a few conversations with the gaffer and Ross Wilson over the last couple of months.

"We are all speaking, we are all talking regularly but as of now there are a lot of games and I am just trying to concentrate on football.

"I am just trying to concentrate on helping Rangers win.

"I am open to it (staying long term with Rangers), the talks are ongoing. My representatives wouldn't be talking if I wasn't open to it.

"Hopefully something can get done, hopefully, it can move forward. But I have told my agent I don't want to hear about it until something does get done."

However positive-sounding this all vaguely sounds, it’s clear that the brass tacks are simple - an agreement hasn't been reached.

For the good of the team, the situation needs to be resolved quickly. The longer it drags on, the more it will become a stick to beat Goldson with if he doesn’t produce the standard of performance we all know he’s capable of.

It’s understandable contract talks such as this would take some time, it’s a life-changing decision, not just for Goldson but also for his family and any contract has to be right - but this impasse is doing nobody any good.

If an agreement cannot be met then the Rangers supporters deserve to know, one way or another, whether he intends to stay and see out his contract or the club intend to sell him before the transfer window shuts.

READ MORE: Rangers' defensive fragility has killed Champions League dream

Personally, for the roughly £5m Rangers would likely receive for a player heading into the final year of his contract, it may not be worthwhile selling, given the prize on offer for the Premiership champions this season – automatic entry to the Champions League.

Goldson will no doubt take that into consideration in contract talks. He’s not going to get the chance of playing in the competition anywhere else so will know he’ll be taking on the world’s best if he leads Rangers to 56.

Of course, we’ve seen a similar situation before back in 1997 when Brian Laudrup decided he would run down his contract and join Chelsea at the end of the season.

Many supporters will argue the Dane was nowhere near the level he was in the previous three seasons.

Should Rangers have cashed in on Laudrup back then? It’s tough to call given he was the best player in Scotland and still produced moments of almost mystifying brilliance.

Laudrup looked distracted and unsettled during that doomed 10-in-a-row campaign and it’s something Rangers won’t want to encounter again with Goldson.

The status quo means until there is an outcome, either way, the player will be heavily scrutinised and ultimately criticised if he doesn’t reach the high standards he set in 2020/21.