Derek Cornelius looking over his shoulder after new John Souttar contract at Rangers
Rangers have finally tied John Souttar down to a new contract, with his previous deal expiring at the end of the season.
The Scotland international has committed his future at Ibrox until May 2027, with the Gers holding an option to extend it for another year.
There was concern among fans over the centre-back’s future as he went into the final months of his deal at the Light Blues, but they can now breathe a sigh of relief.
Danny Rohl has ensured keeping hold of one of the Glaswegian outfit’s most important players, but it remains to be seen how it will affect other players in the team.
Rangers don’t look keen on Derek Cornelius permanent transfer
Derek Cornelius signed for the Gers on loan from Olympique Marseille last summer, with the deal including an option to buy him at the end of the season.
The Canada international established himself as a key player under Rohl at Ibrox, but an injury in late November has kept him out of action for a considerable period.
While the German manager will surely be expecting the defender to return soon, it will be interesting to see whether he can replace Emmanuel Fernandez or Nasser Djiga from the starting lineup.
Souttar is undoubtedly undroppable from the team, and it’s the position next to him that will concern supporters going into the crunch period of the campaign.
Cornelius, 28, kept Fernandez and Djiga out of the first eleven when he was fit, but with the Glaswegian outfit seemingly having different defensive plans for the summer, it would make sense to stick with the former Peterborough United defender, who has formed a decent partnership at the back.
Luke Graham and Filip Issah transfer to spell end for Derek Cornelius at Ibrox
Luke Graham and Filip Lissah are being monitored by Rangers, with the Dundee and Falkirk centre-backs highlighting the summer recruitment plan at Ibrox.
If the Gers are truly serious about signing the William Hill Premiership defensive duo, Cornelius may be surplus to requirements in Govan, especially considering the 22-year-old Scotland Under-21 international’s Sofascore graphic below.
While the Canadian centre-back will feel he’s done a decent job when selected, his fitness issue certainly won’t be encouraging for the Light Blues to pull the trigger on a permanent transfer.
Now that Souttar’s future has been clarified, Cornelius could potentially be looking over his shoulder, with an exit from the Glaswegian outfit on the cards.
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