Rangers fans are asking the question of John Souttar as the club’s fans are left scratching their head with regards the injury prone centre-back.
The Gers held off strong competition from south of the border to sign the talented 26-year-old centre-back, who was widely considered the best defensive option outside of the Old Firm last season.
But injuries have blighted the career of John Souttar to date and even impacted the player in the second half of last season, the former Hearts defender having signed an Ibrox pre-contract in January.
Despite the club’s best efforts to secure a deal for the player in the winter window of 2022, they had to wait until the summer with John Souttar joining on a pre-contract at the start of the season.
However, things have not worked out as planned and to date the player’s only appearance for Rangers was a shaky performance in the narrow opening day win against Livingston.
John Souttar to remain on Rangers sidelines
Since then, Rangers fans have been threaded soundbites about the player’s condition but it remains unclear what exactly is wrong with John Souttar or when he will return to the first team.
After claiming earlier in the season that John Souttar would be returning to action weeks ago, Michael Beale has now claimed the situation is “dragging on”.
“[John Souttar] is still training in isolation, similar to Tom [Lawrence],” said Michael Beale [Rangers].
“Their situation is just dragging out a little bit so no specific update on that, they’re doing individual work at the moment.
“[John Souttar] need a bit more in the tank in terms of his general fitness before we are to throw him out there in the game.
“It’s alright training with us and doing little bits and stuff like that and we’ve got to make sure people react well, they’re almost going to through a pre-season again, so there will be ups and downs but nothing to concern me.
“Tom and John, I don’t to put a time frame on [their return].”
The injury at Rangers follows extensive injuries with Dundee United and Hearts and amid a season defined by devastating problems across the squad, the signing of Souttar has raised eyebrows.
Rangers have too many players in the team already who are routinely unavailable and to add another in John Souttar now appears short-sighted amid Champions League humiliation and the Premiership all but slipping out of sight.
Meanwhile, Celtic are fairing rather differently on the injury front heading into the League Cup Final.
