John Souttar Rangers Exit Route Reopens as £6m Ivor Pandur Backed for Croatia Debut

John Souttar could be handed another opportunity to leave Rangers in January, with Greek side Aris reportedly still interested in securing his services.

The Scotland international has struggled for regular football at Ibrox since the arrivals of Ben Godfrey and Olwethu Makhanya last summer, slipping down the defensive pecking order under Derek McInnes.

Souttar has made 132 appearances for Rangers since joining from Hearts in January 2022, but has managed just one outing under the current manager.

The 30-year-old came close to ending his spell in Glasgow in September after agreeing a three-year contract with Aris. However, the proposed transfer collapsed when he was unable to reach an agreement with Rangers over the terms of his departure.

Reports from Greece now suggest the move could be revived when the January transfer window opens on January 2, with Aris retaining their interest in the Aberdeen-born defender.

The Greek club currently sit fifth in the Super League, four points behind second-placed Olympiacos, and could look to strengthen their squad during the winter window.

Pandur backed to become Croatia’s first-choice goalkeeper

Meanwhile, Rangers goalkeeper Ivor Pandur has received a significant endorsement, with former Croatia international Ivor Kalinic tipping him to become his country’s number one.

The 26-year-old arrived at Ibrox from Hull City last summer in a deal worth around £6million and has impressed his compatriot with his performances in Scotland.

Pandur has represented Croatia at every level up to Under-21 football and was included in the country’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. However, he is still waiting to make his senior international debut.

His chances of earning that opportunity could improve following criticism of Barcelona goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic after Croatia’s 2-1 defeat to England on Thursday.

Kalinic believes Pandur’s current performances make him a strong candidate for the national team’s starting position.

He said: “If we look at the current form, I think Ivor Pandur is our best goalkeeper. He has really top-notch reactions.

I follow him and have watched a lot of him at Rangers this season. I think he is really at a very good level and deserves his chance going forward.

The former Aston Villa and Gent goalkeeper also acknowledged that Livakovic’s situation at Barcelona could have implications for his international standing.

He said: “Going to Barcelona is an invitation that cannot be refused and no one can blame Dominik Livakovic for going there.

“But he must know if you don’t play for your club, you should lose your place in the national team.”

Slaven Bilic has also recognised the issue, with Kalinic suggesting that Livakovic may need to consider his options in January if he wants to protect his position with Croatia.

For Rangers, the developments present two contrasting situations: Souttar could be edging towards another Ibrox exit, while Pandur’s performances are strengthening his international prospects.