PEDRO Caixinha, the Rangers manager, has challenged Barrie McKay, the winger who has rejected the initial offer of a new contract from the Ibrox club, to contribute more to his team.

Caixinha, who took over from Mark Warburton last month, is currently assessing the squad which he inherited and deciding which out-of-contract players to offer extensions to this summer.

The Portuguese coach has been impressed with the ability of McKay, who made his debut for Scotland against France last summer, and predicted he can play at the very highest level in future.

Read more: Pedro Caixinha's deft handling of the Michael O'Halloran affair augurs well for his Rangers future​The Herald:

However, the 46-year-old believes the forward, who was dropped to the bench for the Ladbrokes Premiership match against Aberdeen at Pittodrie last weekend, can be more influential.

"Barrie McKay is my boy and I want to keep him and raise him to another level," said Caixinha. "So far he has been perfect for me.

“I like all my players. Do you remember my statement when I arrived? Best players, best squad. We have no doubt that he is a fantastic player, with his qualities and his skills."

He added: “But I want more than just a skilful player. I want him to be more aggressive, to see the game differently, to be more proactive and to give more to the collective side.

Read more: Pedro Caixinha's deft handling of the Michael O'Halloran affair augurs well for his Rangers future​

“Those are the things we are working on with him and the fact he is a fantastic player makes that easier to add more tools to what he already has.

“Barrie could reach European and international team level – that’s what I want to happen. Of course, if he helps us here first then that is what we want.”

Caixinha declined to discuss the ongoing discussions with the 22-year-old, who is under contract with Rangers until the end of the 2017/18 campaign, about extending his stay at Ibrox.

"We know what we have," he said. "Barrie is included in our assessment and I am not going to respond to any sort of comment in the newspapers. I know what is going on."

Meanwhile, Caixinha, whose team take on Partick Thistle at Ibrox tomorrow, has declared himself happy with the post-split fixtures which Rangers have been handed.

They take on Celtic at Ibrox a week tomorrow and then play Partick Thistle away, Hearts at home, Aberdeen at home and St. Johnstone away.

"It was what we were expecting because we need to have the same number of matches home and away," he said. "It is okay. We have one more trip to Perth."

Read more: Pedro Caixinha's deft handling of the Michael O'Halloran affair augurs well for his Rangers future​

The former Uniao Leiria, Nacional, Santos Laguna and Al-Gharafa manager insisted he was comfortable with the top six split and had encountered similar initiatives in the past.

"In Greece, the champions by the end of April, beginning of May go and celebrate and prepare for the next season," he said. "All the others come after to fight for the European places.

"In Mexico, you have 17 fixtures and the first eight go for one play-off, the first against the eighth in the quarter-finals, the second against seventh, third against sixth and fourth against fifth.

"Quarter-finals are two matches, semi-finals two matches, final then champions. I am fine with what will happen here."

Elsewhere, Caixinha revealed that Danny Wilson, who suffered a broken nose in the 3-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday, would require surgery.

However, he confirmed that Wilson will be available for the Thistle match and the foreseeable future.

"He is okay," said Caixinha. "He needs to progress to a surgery process, but he can delay it a little bit. I don’t really know when it is going to take place."