John Souttar is closing in on a Rangers exit this summer, with reports naming Leicester City – now managed by his former Ibrox boss Russell Martin – as the leading contenders for his signature.
According to The Scotsman, the centre-back was left out of Derek McInnes’ pre-season training camp in Spain this week as the head coach begins a summer clearout at Ibrox, with the 29-year-old understood to be “heavily tracking” a move south. Rangers-focused reporting has since named Leicester as front-runners, with the switch carrying an added family pull: younger brother Harry Souttar has been a Foxes player since his £15m move from Stoke City in January 2023.
Russell Martin Reunion Adds Fresh Twist To Souttar’s Ibrox Exit
Martin’s arrival at the King Power Stadium in June, on a contract running to 2029, means any move would reunite Souttar with the manager who had him at Ibrox during a 123-day Rangers spell that ended last October. Souttar signed a one-year contract extension at Rangers in February but fell down the pecking order under Danny Röhl before McInnes’ arrival, and is not viewed as part of the new head coach’s plans for 2026-27.
No fee or move has been confirmed by either club, and Rangers have not commented publicly on Souttar’s situation. But with the defender omitted from the Spain training group and City actively exploring defensive reinforcements for their return to the Premier League, reports suggest an exit before the transfer window closes is now considered likely rather than speculative.
Souttar joined Rangers from Hearts in 2022 and has made over 100 appearances for the club, but a route back into Derek McInnes’ rebuilt Ibrox defence looks increasingly unlikely following the arrivals already confirmed this summer, while Rangers continue to weigh interest in alternatives to further strengthen the position, mirroring the business being done elsewhere in McInnes’ pre-season squad rebuild.
