Barry Ferguson Backs John Souttar for Fresh Start Abroad

Barry Ferguson has thrown his weight behind John Souttar as the defender prepares to draw a line under a frustrating Rangers spell and head for a fresh start abroad.

The Scotland international was told at the very start of pre-season that he was not part of Derek McInnes’ plans and should find a new club, a blunt message for a player who only recently signed a one-year extension at Ibrox and has been an influential figure in recent campaigns.

Now, with Aris having reached an agreement to sign him and the centre-back expected in Greece shortly, one of his former bosses has stepped forward to underline exactly what Rangers are losing.

Ferguson’s glowing verdict

Ferguson worked closely with Souttar during his stint as interim manager and saw at close quarters the character now walking out of the Govan dressing room.

Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show on 10 September, the Rangers legend did not hold back.

“I worked very closely with John for three months, and I've got to be honest with you, he was outstanding for me. A real good professional. He was a really good leader in the dressing room.

“It was a surprise not being involved since the start of the season. Wherever he goes, they're getting a top centre-half in my opinion.”

That is not the language of a polite farewell. It is the assessment of a man who believes a proven voice and reliable presence is being ushered out the door too soon.

Souttar’s time at Rangers has been scarred by fitness problems, his body often refusing to match his reading of the game or his willingness to compete. Even so, Ferguson is adamant he still had something to offer McInnes this season – on the pitch and, just as importantly, in the dressing room.

Risky call from McInnes

McInnes made his stance clear early, removing Souttar from his plans and leaving him on the outside looking in as Rangers reshaped their squad after a bruising European exit.

The stakes are obvious. With continental football gone, the domestic competitions take on even greater weight. Silverware is not a target, it is an expectation.

The first real test of that comes quickly. Ibrox will stage a Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Celtic on 13 September, a fixture that rarely forgives misjudgment, especially at centre-back.

Yet McInnes goes into a season where Rangers want to challenge on all three Scottish fronts leaning on just three central defenders: Emmanuel Fernandez, Olwethu Makhanya and Ben Godfrey.

That is a lean group for a club of Rangers’ ambitions. One injury, one suspension, one dip in form, and the picture changes fast. In that context, allowing an experienced international like Souttar to move on looks like a calculated gamble.

Having his know-how and presence in reserve would not have harmed Rangers’ prospects. It might have steadied them.

A ‘chosen one’ moves on

Souttar has been painted as the “chosen one” at various stages of his career – a ball-playing Scottish centre-half with leadership qualities and the mentality to handle big-club pressure. Those qualities have not evaporated. They are simply heading elsewhere.

Aris, if all goes to plan, are about to pick up a 29-year-old defender with a point to prove, praised to the hilt by a Rangers icon who knows exactly what a proper Ibrox centre-half looks like.

McInnes, meanwhile, will discover over the coming months whether his ruthless call on Souttar was the sharp decision of a manager with a clear vision, or the one he keeps coming back to in his mind if the heart of that Rangers defence starts to creak when it matters most.