John Souttar is set to stay at Rangers after his proposed move to Aris Thessaloniki failed to materialise before the Greek transfer window closed at midnight last night.
The Rangers defender had been looking to secure a compensated release from Ibrox in order to make the switch to the Greek side, but a dispute over the compensation involved in terminating his Rangers contract ultimately proved a stumbling block.
With the Greek window now closed, the route to Aris is no longer available and Souttar is expected to remain a Rangers player until at least January.
The 29-year-old had reportedly requested his release from Rangers as he looked to make the move happen, but the two sides could not reach an agreement over the financial terms.
That leaves Souttar facing an uncertain spell at Ibrox after a transfer saga which has now effectively reached its conclusion.
Could McInnes recall Souttar?
Derek McInnes has three central defenders within his first team plans in first choice duo, Emmanuel Fernandez and Olwethu Makhanya. With Atalanta loanee Ben Godfrey a regular substitute.
Fellow outcast Clinton Nsiala also remains with the club, after his predicted move to Cyprus failed to materialise.
Rather than heading for Greece, he will remain part of Derek McInnes' squad for the first half of the season.
But will he be used now that he is certain to stay in the building?
“He still has good opportunities, there’s still an opportunity to move, there’s a couple of windows, a few windows still open across Europe, and there is a few things looking possible for John,” McInnes said previously.
“I don't want to speculate how much that is, but I think there is one or two things that he's quite keen on, and one or two things that's maybe getting a wee bit of traction.
“Of course, our window to bring players in is shut, but there’s still that possibility for John, and probably for him to go and get regular football and peace of mind, that might be the best option for him.
“But if he doesn't move, and there isn't anything that materialises, then of course we honour the contract, and he comes back into things.”
Whether he does come back remains to be seen.
Scotland setback adds to Souttar uncertainty
Souttar's Rangers situation has also been complicated by his latest international omission.
The centre-back was left out of Sebastian Pocognoli's first Scotland squad, with the new national team coach opting to bring fresh faces into his defensive group.
Luis Binks and Luke Graham were among those called up, increasing competition for places at the heart of the Scotland defence under the Belgian boss.
This represents another setback in his bid to maintain his international position, being dropped immediately after representing the Tartan Army at the World Cup this summer in North America.
However, he now has ground to make up if he wants to force his way back into the reckoning.
With his move to Aris now off the table, Souttar's immediate priority will be to try and get himself back playing at Rangers.
January now the next opportunity
Souttar's situation could be revisited when the January transfer window opens, but for now he remains tied to Rangers.
The defender had been keen on the opportunity to move to Aris, with the Greek club also maintaining their interest, but the failure to resolve the compensation issue prevented the transfer from being completed.
There is therefore little prospect of the situation changing before January.
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