John Souttar Rangers exit twist as post-deadline release could leave defender in limbo

Derek McInnes has said Rangers must now address John Souttar's situation after the Scotland international remained at Ibrox beyond the transfer deadline.

Souttar had been expected to be available for a potential move during the summer window, with the defender attracting interest as Rangers looked to reshape their squad.

However, no move materialised before the Scottish transfer deadline, leaving the 29-year-old at Rangers with his contract running until May 2027, with the club also holding an option for a further year. The extension was announced by Rangers earlier this year.

McInnes discussed Souttar's position ahead of Rangers' Scottish Premiership meeting with Motherwell, which took place after the transfer window had closed.

The Rangers boss suggested that it had previously been made clear to Souttar that finding a new club could be the best option for him.

"John was in that situation where there was a lot of things going on for him," McInnes said.

"It was kind of made clear that it would maybe be the best option for John to maybe look for something.

"Now that that's not materialised for him or the club, we just need to address that and see what's the best way forward.

"I've got my own views on that."

McInnes' comments indicate that Souttar's position at Rangers is now something the club must actively consider following the failure to secure a move.

The defender was subsequently left out of Rangers' squad for the 1-0 victory over Motherwell, with Ryan Naderi scoring the only goal of the game.

It continued a difficult start to life under McInnes for Souttar, who has yet to make a competitive matchday squad since the former Hearts boss took charge.

There has been speculation online that Rangers could look to terminate Souttar's contract by mutual agreement following the closure of the transfer window.

However, there is currently no confirmed information from Rangers or Souttar's camp that such an agreement has been reached.

What happens if Rangers release Souttar?

If Rangers were to terminate Souttar's contract now, it would not simply mean that he could walk into another Scottish Premiership side and start playing immediately.

The Scottish transfer window closed on September 3, meaning the normal registration period has now passed.

The SPFL's regulations state that a player who becomes Scottish FA Registered with a club outside a registration period will not normally become League Registered with that club until the next registration period. However, the regulations also give the SPFL Board discretion to approve a registration outside the normal window.

If Rangers were to terminate his contract after the window, he could become a free agent and agree terms with another club.

But agreeing a contract and being registered to play are two different things.

A Scottish club wanting to sign Souttar would therefore need to establish whether his registration could be approved outside the normal registration period. It would not be an automatic consequence of Rangers releasing him.

The SPFL regulations provide a mechanism for the Board to approve a player's League Registration outside a registration period, with an application made to the SPFL Secretary before the matter is considered.

As a result, it would be inaccurate to state categorically that Souttar could not play until January.

However, there is also no simple post-deadline free-agent loophole which guarantees that he could immediately register for another Scottish Premiership club.

Unless an exception or specific approval was granted, the next registration period would be the normal route for him to become eligible to play.

The situation is also different from that of a player who was already a free agent before the transfer deadline. Souttar is currently registered with Rangers and remains under contract at Ibrox.

The rules of another association would apply if Souttar attracted interest from a club outside Scotland, meaning the Scottish registration deadline would not necessarily determine his eligibility elsewhere.

Souttar's Rangers future

McInnes' comments do not suggest that a termination has already been agreed.

Instead, the manager said the club now needs to "address" the situation and determine the "best way forward".

Souttar joined Rangers from Hearts in 2022 after beginning his senior career with Dundee United and has since made more than 125 appearances for the club. Rangers confirmed earlier this year that he had extended his contract until May 2027, with an option for another year.

The defender has also established himself as a Scotland international and was part of former Tartan Army boss Steve Clarke's squad for this summer's World Cup.

His position within McInnes' Rangers squad, however, now appears uncertain following the summer transfer activity.

A January move remains one potential route if Souttar stays at Rangers, while a change to his contractual situation could also be explored.

But until Rangers or the player confirm otherwise, reports of a mutual termination should be treated as speculation rather than an established development.