Rangers are in discussions with John Souttar over a new long-term contract, with head coach Danny Röhl making it clear the Scottish centre-back is central to his vision for the club.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the match with Robbie Keane’s Ferencvárosi, Röhl praised Souttar’s leadership, experience, and influence - qualities he believes must form the backbone of Rangers future dressing room.
He said: “Since I’m here, John has been one of the core of the team.
“He helped us. He has experience in this league and he knows what it means to play for Rangers.”
Souttar has endured injuries and setbacks, but when fit, he offers composure, reading of the game, and a calmness under pressure that Röhl values highly.
With the club managing a growing injury list and facing potential departures during international windows, continuity is becoming a strategic priority.
Röhl made it clear that contract negotiations are handled by others behind the scenes: “As a head coach, you have people around who can sort out the contract situation.
“This is helpful.”
But he also acknowledged that Rangers signalling their intention to keep Souttar long-term is important and said: “This is a signal from our side.”
Beyond Souttar individually, Röhl used the discussion to highlight a broader principle: the need for a balanced squad structure built around a reliable leadership core.
Drawing on his previous experience at Bayern Munich, he described the importance of anchoring young talent with seasoned winners:
He explained: “In Munich we had a core like Alaba, Kimmich, Müller, Lewandowski, Neuer.
“Around this core you can play with exciting young players, but in some phases of the season you need that stability.”
Röhl is not seeking a squad built purely on experience, nor one built entirely on youthful potential. Instead, he is committed to finding the right blend.
Rangers fans remain unconvinced that Souttar is the answer long-term but the club clearly feel he is the main to marshal the backline moving forward.