NafisaJohn Souttar’s Rangers career appears to be heading towards its final chapter, with the Scotland international closing in on a move away from Ibrox after agreeing terms with Greek side Aris Thessaloniki.
The 29-year-old defender has attracted interest from overseas clubs despite the transfer window already closing in several major European leagues.
With Greece operating on a later deadline, there has been an opportunity for Rangers to find a solution for a player who has increasingly slipped down the pecking order under Derek McInnes.
And it now appears that opportunity has been taken.
McInnes confirmed on Thursday that Souttar had been attracting attention from countries where the transfer window remains open, with a move to Greece expected to be completed in the coming days.
Reports from Greece have subsequently provided further details, with the Rangers defender reportedly preparing to travel to Thessaloniki before the end of the week to undergo his medical and complete the final formalities.
Souttar joined Rangers in 2022 and has gone on to make 132 appearances for the club across all competitions.
But after more than four years at Ibrox, his time in Glasgow now looks set to come to an end.
What are the terms of John Souttar’s move to Aris?
Greek outlet Sport24 reports that Souttar is “preparing to officially become a player” for Aris Thessaloniki.
The defender is understood to have agreed a three-year contract with the Macedonia-based club, who finished fifth in the Greek Super League last season.
The move would represent the fourth senior club of Souttar’s career, following previous spells with Dundee United, Hearts and Rangers.
The exact transfer fee was not included in the Sport24 report, but another Greek outlet, BN Sports, has claimed that Aris are paying Rangers around £1million to secure his services.
For Rangers, that figure could prove particularly important given the circumstances surrounding Souttar’s departure.
The Scotland international has not featured in any of McInnes’ matchday squads so far this season, suggesting that a decision had already been made during the summer regarding his future at the club.
With the player seemingly no longer part of the manager’s immediate plans, Rangers have now found a route to turn an unwanted squad situation into a permanent transfer.
Should Rangers be happy with £1m?
There is a fairly straightforward argument that Rangers should accept the £1million fee as a sensible piece of business.
Souttar’s existing contract was already due to expire next year, meaning Rangers were facing the possibility of losing him for nothing in 2027.
Selling him now, therefore, gives the club a transfer fee for a player who had fallen outside McInnes’ matchday plans.
Keeping him around purely as squad depth could have meant paying his wages for the remainder of the season before watching him walk away for nothing.
On that basis, £1million represents something rather than nothing.
However, there is another side to the argument.
Souttar is an experienced defender with 132 appearances for Rangers, while he remains a Scotland international and has spent years playing at a high level in Scottish football.
His time at Ibrox has hardly been straightforward, but Rangers have not exactly been overflowing with stability in recent seasons either.
The centre-back has therefore still possessed qualities that could potentially have been useful during a long campaign involving domestic and European football.
That is what makes the decision slightly more complicated.
Rangers have opted to move on from a player who knows the club, understands the demands of playing at Ibrox and has considerable experience at the top end of Scottish football.
But McInnes’ decision appears to have been clear.
Souttar has not been involved in his matchday squads this season, and with Aris now prepared to offer him a three-year contract, the opportunity to secure a fee while the Greek window remains open was too good to ignore.
For Souttar, meanwhile, the move provides the chance to completely reset his career.
After four years at Rangers, he is now on the verge of experiencing football outside Scotland for the first time.
And if the medical and remaining formalities go according to plan, his next chapter will be played in Thessaloniki rather than Ibrox.
For Rangers, the immediate question is whether £1million is enough compensation for losing an experienced Scotland defender.
Given that his contract was approaching its final year and he was already outside McInnes’ plans, the answer may ultimately be yes.
But with Rangers heading into another demanding season, only time will tell whether letting Souttar go proves to be smart squad management — or a decision they eventually come to regret.
Nafisa
