Philippe Clement has made his feelings on the Rangers contract model abundantly clear.
The Rangers manager reckons the Ibrox club have been shooting themselves in the foot by allowing key players to run down their contracts and either hold the club to ransom or slip out the back door.
It led to Rangers downsizing in the summer and Philippe Clement has had to pick up the pieces as the Ibrox squad is rebuilt in a more youthful, forward-thinking image.
But with more contract chaos to come on the horizon, there’s one key player at Rangers who is yet to commit to a new deal despite reports a new contract was close six months ago.
Rangers star in final 18 months of his contract
There are some Rangers players who are out of contract this summer and who look increasingly likely to move on.
Ianis Hagi is out of contract this summer and the Romanian playmaker and Rangers are said to be some way off agreeing a contract due to the 26-year-old’s wage demands.
Tom Lawrence, who has seen a three-season stint at Rangers decimated by injury, is also expected to leave the club this summer.
John Souttar might not be out of contract this summer but the Rangers defender, who has emerged as a crucial member of the team, is in the final 18 months of his current deal.
Rangers are looking for a new sporting director to stabilise the club’s questionable squad management and one of the first port of calls will be to tie down the centre-back for the long-term.
New sporting director to face John Souttar dilemma
Rangers are under pressure to ensure the club is not replacing key players season on season, failing to bank transfer fees whilst also destabilising the club’s squad.
Losing John Souttar as things stand is currently unthinkable but no new contract has been arranged with Rangers.
Reports back in August claimed that Souttar was set to sign a new Rangers contract and for the moment there is nothing to suggest the defender’s position has changed.
But given those reports were six months ago, Rangers fans might be hunting for an update.
If Rangers fail to strike a new deal with Souttar before the end of the current campaign then it presents Philippe Clement with a sizeable headache.
For the club’s incoming sporting director, they might have a big decision to make with Souttar currently heading towards the final 12 months of his contract.
When the new sporting director comes into Ibrox, who every they may be, arranging a new Rangers contract for John Souttar is an instant win with the support.
