Credit: Imago

James Barker

Fri 3 April 2026 20:10, UK

Luke Graham’s 2025-26 underlying stats are largely better than Rangers‘ Harry Souttar.

Rangers are understood to be eyeing up a summer swoop for the 22-year-old centre-back, who has enjoyed a fantastic season for Dundee.

However, it remains to be seen whether the Scotland youth international would want another Scottish Premiership move, or might be holding out for a dream switch to a different top European league.

Rangers may well see some major changes to the makeup of their central defence over the summer, with the likes of Derek Cornelius and Nasser Djiga both set to return to their respective parent clubs.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Fernandez is sure to receive significant transfer interest, with it being reported that a number of top clubs from across European football are circling his signature.

How do Luke Graham and Harry Souttar’s stats compare?

Souttar recently signed a new contract that will keep him at Ibrox until May 2027, which is perhaps a move made in preparation for the aforementioned changes that could befall Gers’ centre-back ranks this summer.

The 29-year-old has endured an up and down season, and it’s this inconsistent nature of his performances that could see Gers looking for an upgrade to their starting lineup over him.

If that is to be the case, then signing Dundee’s Graham would provide them with that based off the their respective underlying Scottish Premiership stats this season.

As per Sofascore, Graham has made more interceptions (1.3 vs 0.4), tackles (1.5 vs 1.1), has been dribbled past less (0.4 vs 0.5), made more clearances (6.8 vs 6.2) and blocked more shots (1.0 vs 0.6) per game this season.

The Dundee talent has also won more ground duels per game (3.2 vs 2.0), more aerial duels per game (4.6 vs 3.0) and has more successful dribbles per game too (0.4 vs 0.0) than the Rangers defender.

Impressively too, Graham has only been shown three yellow cards across his 30 Premiership appearances this term, whereas Souttar has picked up seven.

So, there’s ample evidence to strongly suggest that Graham would be a considerable upgrade over Souttar, or at the very least, ensure that the latter isn’t their best centre-back next season given the potential exit of Fernandez and Djiga’s loan spell ending respectively.

Rangers should continue building talented young defence

Fernandez is guaranteed to leave this summer, and if he doesn’t, he will once again form a critical part of what is a Rangers defence that may continue to get younger.

James Tavernier may not be returning for another season, and at 34, that would force the Gers to get younger at that position.

Meanwhile, in Tuur Rommens, they appear to have found their left-back of the future, with the 23-year-old enjoying a mightily impressive start to life in Glasgow.

So, adding one of Scottish football’s brightest young centre-backs to that defensive unit would be another highly shrewd move by Rangers, and would continue to see them constructing their defence of the future.

Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Govan.