Rangers want to offload John Souttar this summer, and former recruitment chief Nils Koppen might be about to do them a massive favour.
It is telling that Souttar has been deemed surplus to requirements under Derek McInnes, despite the Light Blues already being short of options in defence.
Ibrox chiefs are actively looking to get his wages off the books while securing a seven-figure transfer fee, as clubs south of the border start to queue up.
Now, an unexpected domino effect starting from Saudi Arabia could give West Ham United the cash needed to make it happen.
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Saudi cash explosion at West Ham
West Ham have struck a massive £60million deal to sell Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
That £60m windfall gives Koppen – now leading recruitment in East London ahead of their EFL Championship campaign – the green light to shop for reliable cash options.
Having worked directly with Souttar at Ibrox, Koppen knows his valuation inside out and has the budget to strike quickly.
According to The i Paper, West Ham are exploring options to bolster their squad as they navigate a new ‘sell high, buy low’ strategy.
The newspaper highlights that Koppen could utilise his close-up knowledge of Scottish football to recommend Souttar to Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
The Belgian executive possesses firsthand intelligence on Souttar’s qualities from his time as Rangers technical director, giving the Irons a shortcut to evaluate the Scotland international.
Souttar surplus to requirements at Rangers
There is zero hesitation from Rangers when it comes to sanctioning Souttar’s exit. The 29-year-old is clearly not part of McInnes’ plans.
McInnes conspicuously omitted the centre-back from Rangers’ pre-season squad travelling to Spain to allow him to resolve his future.
Souttar also sat out Wednesday’s pre-season friendly against Saint-Etienne as transfer discussions continue behind the scenes.
It is also worth noting that the Gers are hunting for a left-sided central defender, with Troyes’ Sankhoun Diawara a target.
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Why Koppen solves the Championship problem
While Championship sides like Sheffield United and Watford, as well as League One outfit Leicester City, are monitoring Souttar, lower-tier clubs routinely attempt to negotiate structured instalments or low-risk deals
West Ham, flushed with Al-Hilal funds, actually possess the upfront liquidity to meet Rangers’ seven-figure valuation in full.
As The i Paper details, a fresh start in the Championship would hold significant appeal for Souttar, while allowing McInnes to immediately redirect those proceeds into his preferred left-sided defensive target.
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