Rangers defender John Souttar is finally beginning to prove himself every inch the international defender the club hoped they’d signed from Hearts.
The Scotland centre-back, 27, has been regarded as one of the nation’s strongest defensive options throughout his career and in recent weeks we’ve began to see why.
After years of fitness issues, there’s renewed optimism that the defender can finally stay injury free and prove himself at Rangers.
John Souttar drew Premier League bid
Rangers are said to have held off competition from English Championship clubs like Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers to sign John Souttar last summer.
Then of Hearts, Rangers struck an initial pre-contract deal with the defender in the January of 2022 but failed to convince the Jambos to sell in January.
It’s a move which – even though Rangers failed to lift the title – proved to be financially shrewd with John Souttar suffering yet another injury towards the end of the 21/22 season.
Injuries have been a feature of the boyhood bluenose’s career, with a series of devastating problems stunting his growth.
Coming through at Dundee United the powerful centre-back was always tipped for the top.
Good in the air, strong on the ball, a solid dribbler with an eye for a pass; young Souttar had it all.
It’s why the defender was subject to £600k interest from then Premier League side Sunderland in 2013 and why there has always been considerable attention on his career ever since.
Rangers star could be crucial for Scotland at Euro 2024
Those fitness issues interrupted the bulk of his development years and since then Souttar has been stuttering from one issue to another.
At Hearts, the Jambos got a more extended look at the defender’s qualities even amongst the issues before Rangers took a gamble on John Souttar realising his potential in Govan.
Now finally getting a run in the Ibrox first-team – injury has also disrupted Souttar’s some 18 months in Glasgow – Rangers fans are seeing an increasingly accomplished defender take to the field.
With Euro 2024 on the horizon, if John Souttar continues in this vein don’t be surprised to see the centre-back play a crucial role for Steve Clarke’s side in Germany.
After years of injury problems for the defender, Rangers might just have pounced at the right time with the club beginning to see Souttar’s Premier League pedigree in Glasgow.
John Souttar has made 27 appearances for Rangers this season, starting six of the club’s last seven Premiership matches.
