Rangers defender John Souttar is on the brink of an Ibrox exit just five months after extending his contract, with Sheffield United stealing a march on Leicester City in the race for his signature.
While the transfer headlines have been dominated by interest from Leicester, spurred on by a potential reunion with former Rangers boss Russell Martin and the presence of his brother Harry at the King Power Stadium, a major development has flown completely under the radar.
According to The Scottish Sun, Sheffield United are leading the race to sign the 29-year-old Scotland international.
Where does John Souttar rank among the best defenders in the Scottish Premiership?
He was handed a new Rangers contract earlier this year.
Sheffield United lead the race as Chris Wilder steps up
Souttar’s absence from Rangers’ warm-weather pre-season training camp in Spain came as a huge surprise.
The centre-back was left behind in Glasgow alongside Brazilian forward Danilo, specifically to iron out his immediate future.
While Leicester remain a strong admirer, Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder is a long-term fan of the central defender.
Wilder has moved quickly to place the Blades at the front of the queue, with ongoing negotiations pointing toward a permanent switch south of the border.
Souttar only signed a contract extension in February to run until May 2027, but he is not seen as part of manager Derek McInnes‘ plans as he continues to aggressively overhaul the squad.
Olwethu Makhanya proposed to Rangers, but McInnes unmoved
With Souttar’s departure looking highly likely, speculation has naturally turned to who might replace the experienced defender.
Earlier reports suggested Philadelphia Union’s rising star Olwethu Makhanya had been identified as an active, direct replacement.
The 22-year-old South Africa international, who featured at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, was proposed to the Glasgow giants a few weeks ago.
However, any expectations of a swift move for the MLS defender have been quickly downplayed.
The Scottish Sun reports that despite the player being offered to the club, Makhanya does not feature prominently on McInnes’ radar.
As McInnes continues to ruthlessly restructure his squad, it appears the Rangers boss is keeping his options open and looking elsewhere for defensive reinforcements rather than pursuing the MLS youngster.
