Rangers have been handed an injury boost by the news that Scotland international centre-back John Souttar could be fit to play in the nation’s upcoming European Championship qualifiers.
There were fears that the 26-year-old centre-back – whose entire career has been besieged with injury – could miss the upcoming clashes with Norway (A) and Georgia (H).
This comes after the defender missed the national side’s training camp in Spain due to an injury problem, something which had Rangers fans nervously chewing their fingernails over the player’s fitness.
But according to the Scottish Sun, John Souttar has reported to Scotland HQ ahead of the matches and could yet play in the games despite the ominous injury news.
This will be music to the ears of Rangers who were finally beginning to see what John Souttar can do towards the end of last season.
Rangers handed John Souttar injury boost
Signed on a pre-contract from Hearts in the summer, the defender missed the bulk of last season with the domestic campaign all but over by the time Souttar got fit enough to play.
It also didn’t help that perennial crock Filip Helander didn’t play at all last season, the Swedish international centre-halve’s career in Scottish football also defined by injury problems.
Combine this with injuries to the likes of Ben Davies after his initial move from Liverpool, and a long-term injury to influential vice-captain Connor Goldson at a crucial time of the season, and Rangers’ defensive injury crisis went a long way to an astonishing domestic collapse last season.
There were injuries throughout the entire squad in season 22/23 but it was at centre-back where the issues were most evident, the club having to rely on teenager Leon King and mouthy loanee James Sands, who is now struggling to live up to his own hype back home at NYCFC.
Rangers were statistically the worst performing team in Champions League group stage history last season, a feat achieved in no small part due to the devastation and poor planning at centre-back.
This quite simply will not be tolerated again this season and with Connor Goldson working his way back from a season-ending problem, news of a John Souttar injury was giving us all flashbacks.
But the latest coming out of Scotland would suggest the problem isn’t as serious as feared and let’s hope Rangers have a fully fit and firing four centre-backs who’re ready to play when the whistle goes next season.
The club have been extensively linked with a move for Nottingham Forest defender Jonathan Panzo, but Rangers face competition from elsewhere for his signature.
