Reports claims John Souttar's transfer preference if Rangers win battle for Hearts ace

John Souttar would prefer to move to Rangers in the January transfer window if the Ibrox club win the battle to sign the Hearts defender, according to reports.

Hearts centre-back John Souttar is wanted by Rangers. Picture: SNS

The 25-year-old is in the final six months of his contract at Tynecastle and is free to speak to other suitors. It is believed Rangers have already made an offer to the centre-back, who is also seeking discussions with a number of interested parties south of the border, including Premier League hopefuls Blackburn Rovers.

The Daily Record says Souttar would look to move to Glasgow this month if he decides Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side is where his long-term future lies.

Though it would be a sickener to see Souttar travel across the M8 for the second half of the 2021/22 season, with Hearts holding a five-point lead in third-place in the hunt for European football, a move this month would have to be sanctioned by Hearts with the Tynecastle side looking for a significant six-figure fee and possible sell-on clause to allow him to be released early from his contract.

The Aberdonian has been a Hearts player since he was signed from Dundee United in the 2016 January transfer window. A first-team starter when available, he’s been limited to 150 appearances in six years due to a series of long-term injuries, including tearing his Achilles’ heel on three occasions.

He has four caps for Scotland, the most recent of which came in the 2-0 victory over Denmark in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Souttar netted the opening goal in the match at Hampden Park.

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