John Souttar is over the moon to have signed a new deal at Rangers, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2027.
The 29-year old signed for the Light Blues from Hearts in 2022 on a four-year deal which was set to run out at the end of the season. He’s made 117 appearances for the club and has been a mainstay at the back under Michael Beale, Philippe Clement and Danny Rohl when fit.
The news comes at a welcome time for Souttar, who can now fully focus on matters on the park after much new deal speculation. The experienced defender could have a huge part to play in Rangers’ title charge as he also has a very good chance of being selected for Steve Clarke’s Scotland World Cup squad.
From one new deal to potentially another, Danny Rohl is also looking to secure the future of another Rangers star, who has now entered negotiations. James Tavernier, Rabbi Matondo, Liam Kelly, Bailey Rice and Kieran Wright are all set to leave in the summer
Souttar ‘delighted’ to secure Rangers future
The Scotland International told Rangers TV: “I love playing here, so I always made that clear. There are things that can take time, but thankfully in the end it has all been sorted. I was always thinking about the team and the club. There is so much happening here that you don’t really have time to think about yourself. You are always thinking about the next game and how the team is getting on but personally I am delighted it is done.
“There have been a lot of ups and downs throughout my time here, a lot of changes, but hopefully now we are in a settled period. With the owners coming in it has given the club a real foundation to kick on and I think it has got to be an exciting time to be a part of this club whether you are a member of staff, a player or a fan. I think it is really exciting. It is important we keep delivering on the pitch and if we do that then I think everyone will really reap the benefits.”
Meanwhile boss Danny Rohl said: “We are delighted John has agreed this new contract with the club. Keeping our best players and our leaders is very important to having success going forward, while having a Scottish presence in the squad is also going to be key. This is great news for everyone at the club with so much to look forward to between now and the end of the season, and hopefully for John, a World Cup to come at the end of it.”
Raskin enters contract ‘talks’
Just as Rangers secure the future of Souttar, midfielder Nico Raskin has also entered new contract negotiations. According to the Daily Record, the club want to reward the Belgian International for his consistent performances with a ‘lucrative’ new deal.
Raskin’s initial contract was set to run out in 2027 before the club triggered a 12-month extension, however now Rangers want to extend his deal even further. The 24-year old has been a standout performer at Ibrox since his move from Standard Liege back in 2023 and has been the subject of transfer interest from English Premier League clubs including Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves.
Of the current stars out of contract in the summer, Liam Kelly is the only one to have entered new deal talks as he, like Souttar, eyes a World Cup place. However, at this point in time there has been no indication of such talks for James Tavernier whose decade long spell at the club is set to come to an end in June.