Rangers don’t need to ‘find a replacement’ for defender Connor Goldson in the summer as the incoming John Souttar can be just that, according to senior Gers journalist Chris Jack.

Goldson’s current contract is set to expire in June 2022, and he appears no closer to committing his long-term future to the club, but Souttar’s imminent arrival could make for a smooth transition to life after the towering centre-back.

What is the latest news involving Souttar?

During the January transfer window, Rangers snapped up Souttar on a pre-contract agreement from Scottish Premiership rivals Hearts.

The Scotland international was free to talk to other clubs after entering the final six months of his existing deal, with the Glasgow giants reportedly fending off interest from Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers for his signature.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s charges were keen to bring the 6 foot 1 ace to Ibrox during the winter, although refused to match Hearts’ £500,000 valuation, meaning he is set to stay put for the remainder of 2021/22.

The move comes after Souttar enjoyed an extremely impressive opening half of the campaign, helping the newly-promoted Jambos climb into the European qualification places.

And his eye-catching displays are even more impressive considering he has had to overcome three serious Achilles’ injuries already in his short career.

What has Jack said about Souttar?

Souttar has missed just four league games this term, starting 26 top-flight fixtures for the capital club, and his underlying numbers highlight why Rangers have moved quickly to secure his services.

As per WhoScored, the classy operator has won 3.2 aerial duels per league game, the fourth-highest total amongst his colleagues, while averaging a whopping four clearances and 1.3 blocks, bettering the tallies of his teammates for both metrics.

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Therefore, Jack believes that Souttar could a suitable successor to Goldson, potentially saving Van Bronckhorst a significant chunk of his transfer budget.

He told GiveMeSport: “I think with John Souttar coming in, they don't need to go and find a replacement for Connor Goldson.”

Is Goldson definitely leaving?

Goldson has racked up 18 goals and seven assists in 206 appearances for Rangers since arriving back in 2018, claiming the Scottish Premiership title along the way.

However, according to the Scottish Sun, West Bromwich Albion and Nottingham Forest are interested in making a pre-contract agreement with the 29-year-old centre-back.

Yet the Daily Express claim that if Rangers retain their title and qualify for the Champions League group stages, he would be open to putting pen to paper on fresh terms.