The Scotland man's representatives are in talks with Light Blues chiefs

You can forgive Findlay Curtis for looking a little coy when asked if a new contract was on his wish list this Christmas.

At 20, he’s content to leave negotiating fresh terms to those better schooled in the art of the deal and Record Sport understands talks are ongoing. But shy weans don’t get sweets as they say and so the Rangers kid was happy to admit he is hoping for an early gift from Santa, hopefully one in the shape of a first winner’s medal.

Curtis and his Ibrox pals are hoping to kick the festive season off with a bang when they head back to Hampden on December 13 for the Premier Sports Cup final. Beating Hibs to land the club’s first trophy in three years would represent a huge step forward not only for Derek McInnes’ squad but also Curtis himself.

Last year was a breakthrough season but one that required a six-month loan stint at Kilmarnock for him to get regular action. This season, he’s back at Ibrox pushing hard to claim a starting berth at Ibrox — but with Badredine Bouanani, Minsu Kim and Djeidi Gassama ahead him in the pecking order, he’s having to bide his time.

He’ll hope to have some involvement against Hibs next month and help Gers snatch back the trophy they last won when Philippe Clement was in charge in 2023. That would fulfil all his Christmas wishes - and no doubt also strengthen his bargaining power as his representatives sit down to discuss renewing the contract he signed at the beginning of last year.

“Listen, I’ll leave that with my agent and the football club,” he said, batting away the question. “Obviously, it’s a brilliant place to play football. I’ve been here since I was six years old, so we’ll see what happens. But I’m loving it here. With the new staff as well, you can feel that everyone wants the success that the fans and all the boys in here want.

“You saw at the start of the season that we didn’t really start well, but we’ve been picking up really good results, whether it’s at home or away. It’s massive that we can win a cup final before Christmas. Hopefully, we can pick up that first piece of silverware and then go on and do really well this season. I believe the boys in there can go and do it.

"It would mean everything to me if we could do that. Being a boyhood fan, it would be unbelievable. Hopefully, like I’ve said, we can.”

McInnes accepts it’s difficult to ask Curtis to be patient after watching him thrive on loan at Rugby Park. The youngster came back to Rangers with the intention of carrying from where he left off in Ayrshire.

The six goals he scored for Neil McCann’s team were vital to Killie’s successful survival bid and Curtis might have felt he could be just as useful to Gers’ title hopes.

He’s certainly been involved this term, but only four of his 17 appearances have come as starts. His manager wants him to be in a “hurry” for more having urged him not to waste the chances he gets - and Curtis agrees.

“It’s natural as a footballer to be disappointed when you don’t play,” he said. “Obviously you've seen that with myself, I played the first couple of games this season and I've dropped to the bench, but all I can do is just keep on working away behind the scenes and I can't miss any opportunity. I need to do it to 100 percent.

“But I love working under the manager, I love working under the staff and there's such a good vibe here at the minute because we've just got through a cup final and we're doing really well in the league so far.

“All you can do is just keep on working hard, whether it's the boys or whether it's staff, all you can do is that. Listen, all the boys in my position are doing really well and the team is winning. That’s the main thing at the club.

“Like I’ve said before, I think all I need to do is impress in training, whether it’s coming on from the bench or starting games, and make sure I make that spot my own. But all the boys have been brilliant so far and hopefully we can have success this year.

“Once I get that chance, whether it’s from the bench or by starting games, all I can do is make that impact. Like I’ve said, all I want to do is play my football here and I’m enjoying it.

“You can't even waste an opportunity at the foot club. Whether it's boys getting injured, then you need to step in, you need to take your opportunity.

“And I'm just going to try to keep on doing, I'm just going to keep on working away, whether it's starting from the bench or the starting 11, all I can do is just take my opportunity when it comes.

“I just think all the wingers at this football club are top players, whether it's Minsu, Bouanani, Gassama or Daisuki. We work with each other at the end of the sessions, whether it's off one wing, whether it's off the other or in the number 10.

“That’s all we can do in training and try to replicate it in games. And you've seen in the past couple of weeks that boys are performing at a top level and all you can keep on doing is doing that.”

Gers head to St Mirren on Saturday evening - scene of Curtis’ only league goal for Gers so far. It was his late equaliser that bailed out Russell Martin three games into last season as the former boss’ lumbering line-up were forced to settle for a point while stumbling to their worst start to a campaign in 36 years.

This time, things are looking much brighter with McInnes’ Light Blues looking to move to within a point of leaders Celtic.

“Yeah, it's huge,” admitted Curtis. “All we want to do here is pick up three points, whether the performance is not great. You need to get three points in this club, no matter what, if it's home or away.”