Key Points

• John Souttar Left Behind: Scotland international defender John Souttar has been excluded from Rangers’ 25-man UEFA Europa League squad for the upcoming qualifier against Jagiellonia Bialystok and has remained in Glasgow.
• Homegrown Status Unutilised: Souttar was omitted despite qualifying as a homegrown player under UEFA rules, signaling that he is not in manager Derek McInnes’ plans for the upcoming campaign.
• Transfer Speculation Mounts: The 29-year-old centre-back is continuing training at the Rangers Training Centre while attracting transfer interest from English Championship sides including Sheffield United, Leicester City, Swansea City, and Watford.
• Further Squad Omissions: Albanian midfielder Nedim Bajrami was also left out amid negotiations over a potential move to Saudi Pro League club Al Taawoun, while summer signing Ben Godfrey misses out due to a four-week hamstring injury.
• Travel to Poland: Derek McInnes and his squad have traveled to Białystok for Thursday night’s first leg, with new signing Olwethu Makhanya cleared to feature after securing his visa.

Glasgow (Glasgow Express) August 5, 2026 – Rangers have officially confirmed their 25-man squad for the upcoming UEFA Europa League third-round qualifying fixture against Polish side Jagiellonia Białystok, with high-profile defender John Souttar left out of the travelling party. The 29-year-old Scotland international remained in Scotland to train at the Rangers Training Centre in uk/local/govan/">Govan, rather than boarding the flight to Poland with manager Derek McInnes and his team-mates.

As reported by Chris Jack of The Rangers Review, Souttar’s exclusion comes despite the centre-back meeting UEFA’s strict homegrown player criteria, which usually makes domestic core players indispensable for European squad quotas. McInnes made the tactical and administrative decision to leave Souttar out of the squad list submitted to UEFA, strongly indicating that the defender’s long-term future lies away from Ibrox. Souttar, who joined Rangers on a free transfer from Heart of Midlothian in 2022 and remains under contract until May 2027, is currently subject to transfer interest from several English Championship clubs, including Sheffield United, Leicester City, Swansea City, and Watford.

What Other Major Squad Changes Has Manager Derek McInnes Made?

As reported by Scott Burns of the Daily Record, Souttar is not the only high-profile player missing from the European submission. Midfielder Nedim Bajrami was also left off the official roster, as negotiations progress regarding a transfer to Saudi Pro League outfit Al Taawoun. Furthermore, defender Ben Godfrey, who joined Rangers during the summer transfer window, was left out after suffering a hamstring injury during his competitive debut against Dundee United, which is expected to keep him sidelined for at least four weeks.

Conversely, Belgian midfielder Nico Raskin was included in the 25-man squad despite ongoing transfer speculation linking him with moves to Spanish clubs Villarreal and Real Betis. South African defender Olwethu Makhanya was also named in McInnes’ squad after resolving administrative visa delays in time to travel to Białystok.

Who Is Included in the 25-Man European Squad List?

As reported by Jonathan McFarlane of The Herald, the registered squad that has travelled to Poland for Thursday’s first leg comprises the following players:

• Goalkeepers: Ivor Pandur, Liam Kelly, Mason Munn.
• Defenders: Ross McCrorie, Dujon Sterling, Clinton Nsiala, Olwethu Makhanya, Tuur Rommens, Emmanuel Fernandez.
• Midfielders: Dan Neil, Connor Barron, Mohamed Diomande, Thelo Aasgaard, Cammy Devlin, Lyall Cameron, Vanja Dragojevic, Djeidi Gassama, Tochi Chukwuani, Nico Raskin.
• Forwards: Lawrence Shankland, Youssef Chermiti, Ryan Naderi, Bojan Miovski, Ross McCausland, Josh Gentles.

How Are Opponents Jagiellonia Białystok Preparing for the First Leg?

As reported by Ewan Murray of The Guardian, Jagiellonia Białystok manager Adrian Siemieniec addressed the upcoming fixture following his side’s 2-1 victory over Motor Lublin in the Ekstraklasa. Siemieniec stated:

“The scale of the challenge in the Europa League is very high considering the calibre of the opponent. It will be our biggest-ever challenge to try and overcome a team like Rangers over the two legs.”

Siemieniec also highlighted the integration of Danish summer signing Anders Klynge, who made his debut off the bench, noting that while the player is physically ready, adjusting to a new squad requires time and tactical adaptation.

What Is the Background of This Particular Development?

To understand why John Souttar has been left out of Rangers’ European campaign, it is necessary to examine the central defensive reshuffle taking place under manager Derek McInnes ahead of the 2026–27 season.

Souttar arrived at Ibrox in the summer of 2022 following a successful spell at Hearts. While his time in Glasgow featured sustained spells in the first team and regular caps for the Scotland national team, injury interruptions and tactical adjustments under successive managerial tenures have frequently impacted his consistency in the starting eleven.

Following the arrival of Derek McInnes, Rangers initiated a structural overhaul of their defensive unit. The summer recruitment strategy brought in new options such as Ben Godfrey, Emmanuel Fernandez, Tuur Rommens, and Olwethu Makhanya. With McInnes prioritizing defensive mobility and long-term roster balance, Souttar’s standing within the central defensive hierarchy shifted.

Simultaneously, multiple clubs in the English Championship expressed interest in acquiring Souttar’s experience ahead of the domestic transfer deadline. With Rangers needing to balance their roster limits and financial commitments, the decision was made to omit Souttar from UEFA registration to avoid tying him to European cup-tied conditions and to facilitate potential transfer discussions before the window closes.

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How Can This Development Affect Rangers Supporters and the Team?

This development carries immediate and long-term implications for Rangers FC, its squad dynamic, and its fanbase:

• Impact on Tactical Depth for Supporters: Fans watching Rangers’ European run will see a restructured central defence lacking veteran Scottish international experience. With Ben Godfrey sidelined for four weeks with a hamstring injury and Souttar unselected, McInnes must rely heavily on newer defensive additions like Clinton Nsiala and Olwethu Makhanya in high-stakes European fixtures.
• Impact on Roster and Homegrown Quotas: Leaving out an established homegrown international player limits McInnes’ ability to fill local registration quotas in domestic and European competitions, putting greater emphasis on promoting academy graduates like Mason Munn and Josh Gentles.
• Impact on the Transfer Market: For the player and potential suitors, remaining in Glasgow enables Souttar to finalize terms with interested English clubs without the interruption of midweek European travel, paving the way for a domestic roster adjustment before the transfer window concludes.