Of the Rangers quintet who said farewell to the Ibrox crowd on Wednesday night, Scott Arfield is the only player who has split opinion. Was his exit perhaps premature?

Arfield will depart Rangers this summer alongside Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, Filip Helander and Allan McGregor.

Ever since arriving on a free transfer from Burnley in the summer of 2018, he quickly became an integral part of this Rangers squad, making 231 appearances and scoring 43 goals.

His impact was not only huge on the pitch but off it. A larger-than-life character that Rangers will struggle to replace.

Arfield exudes energy and positivity and he is someone you’d always want in the trenches. It’s this that made Michael Beale’s decision not to offer the 34-year-old a new contract all the more difficult.

“Scotty Arfield – it pulls on the heartstrings, big time,” Beale said in his pre-Hearts press conference.

“As a man and as a person, he has been absolutely fantastic around the place.

“He is adored by the fans as well, not only (by) his teammates and staff.

“That was a real amicable conversation between the two of us over the last couple of months around playing time, how the squad will look and what Scott needs moving forward as well.

“You have to live the reality. He is a key player and gives a lot of energy to the building and his teammates, but he needs to feel he will be involved and play from the start or have a significant involvement, and I can’t promise him that.

“A difficult decision to come to, but I think it is right for all parties.”

READ MORE: The emotional Rangers end that marks Michael Beale's new chapter

Time will tell if it’s a justifiable decision by Beale but what cannot be argued is whoever has the pleasure of acquiring Arfield’s services, they are gaining a top-class professional with the potential to deliver for the next two to three seasons at least.

Arfield, himself, isn’t planning on calling time on his career any time soon. Speaking after the 2-2 draw with Hearts, he was quizzed on his future plans. “I don't know. I need to go and wait and see what comes up. I'm open to everything,” he told Sky Sports.

"I just want to be happy, I want to continue playing. I said when I was 16 years of age I wanted to try and play until 40, that's not changed.

“Until somebody tells me I'm not good enough or I get an injury that's going to keep me out I'm going to continue as long as I can.

“This is where I am at my happiest when I am playing football and I am enjoying myself - long may it continue.”

Celtic aside, there will likely be a queue of clubs fighting for his signature and it will be intriguing to discover where his next destination will be. There is no doubt, he can still cut it at the top level.

For now, Arfield leaves a hero as someone who contributed massively to 55 as well as the heroic European run and Scottish Cup last season.

Even this year, in an ultimately disappointing season, he provided moments of magic, namely the last-gasp double against Aberdeen at Pittodrie and the opening goal against Liverpool that blew the roof off of Ibrox - only for it to cave in not long afterwards.

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He scored big goals at crucial times. His strike against Celtic in last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final sparked a famous Rangers fightback and who can forget his opener against Galatasaray that helped send the club on their way to Europa League group stage qualification in 2020?

His ability to arrive late into the box was a key attribute and Rangers will do well to find someone with that knack of popping up in the right space at the right time.

For Arfield, he’ll rightly walk out the Ibrox gates with his head held high. “I've had an amazing time and connection at this football club,” he said.

“I'm so lucky to be part of this and have scored some amazing goals in big moments and nobody can take that away from me.

“My kids can look back at it some day and think, 'Daddy did alright'.”

Your Dad did more than alright, kids. Thanks for the memories, Scott.