After 15 games in charge, it feels like an ideal time to assess where this Glasgow Rangers squad is now at under Derek McInnes.
The 54-year-old has overseen nine wins so far in all competitions, although a six-game winning run in the Premiership came to an end last time out, following the frustrating draw away at Dundee.
That result showcased that this new-look Gers team is far from the finished article, with there still work to be done in 2027 to ensure the Gers kick on and remain in the title hunt.
Moving on the peripheral members of the squad would be a good place to start, with John Souttar, among others, seemingly heading for an inevitable exit.
Why Souttar needs to leave in January
With things having settled down after a chaotic start to the season, amid the influx of new faces, it’s clear to see who is and isn’t part of McInnes’ plans for the long term.
Bojan Miovski has only featured for 57 minutes in total, for instance, while the on-loan Ben Godfrey has also faded from view of late, featuring for just 99 minutes so far himself.
As for the aforementioned Souttar, meanwhile, the experienced Scot hasn’t actually been involved at all thus far, yet to be part of a single matchday squad this season.
While injury may have been a factor there, McInnes did reveal over the summer that the centre-back had been informed it would be best to seek out a new club, even after penning a contract extension earlier this year.
For a man who has made over 130 appearances for the Old Firm side, it does appear a muted way to bow out, with a January exit surely the best solution for all parties.
Indeed, he is one of just a handful of senior players not to have received a single minute of game time in 2026/27, with back-up goalkeeper Liam Kelly also reduced to a watching brief due to the form of Ivor Pandur.
Unsurprisingly, that declining status ensures that the Scottish duo are in the conversation when it comes to the least valuable players at Ibrox, as per Transfermarkt, with the man at the very bottom of the pile also needing a fresh start, it would seem.
Why Rangers’ least valuable player needs to leave
As noted above, while it all felt far too turbulent back in August and early September, McInnes has settled on something far more consistent since then, hence the upturn in results.
|
Most Minutes under McInnes* |
||
|---|---|---|
|
# |
Player |
Minutes |
|
1 |
Ivor Pandur |
1,380′ |
|
37 |
Emmanuel Fernandez |
1,380′ |
|
24 |
Olwethu Makhanya |
1,200′ |
|
21 |
Dujon Sterling |
1,133′ |
|
23 |
Djeidi Gassama |
1,000′ |
|
29 |
James Penrice |
988′ |
|
6 |
Dan Neil |
931′ |
|
20 |
Ryan Naderi |
926′ |
|
43 |
Nicolas Raskin |
886′ |
|
52 |
Findlay Curtis |
628′ |
|
7 |
Lawrence Shankland |
561′ |
|
10 |
Min-su Kim |
560′ |
|
*500 mins or above |
||
It’s becoming clear who his key lieutenants are, with both Pandur and Emmanuel Fernandez leading the way in terms of minutes played (1380) since the former Hearts boss took charge.
At the other end of the spectrum, meanwhile, is a certain Ross McCausland, the 23-year-old’s only involvement having been his 27-minute cameo against St Mirren in the League Cup.
The Northern Irishman did actually get on the scoresheet in that thumping 5-1 win, although he hasn’t been seen since, falling firmly down the attacking pecking order.
He was in the matchday squad for both legs against Jagellonia and Jablonec, as he was in the Premiership win away at Falkirk, yet other than that, he has slipped into exile.
Indeed, it had looked almost certain that he would depart permanently over the summer, the promising winger having enjoyed a spell out on loan at Aris Limassol last season.
His 26 games in Cyprus yielded a solid return of four goals and four assists, not too far off his overall Rangers record of eight goals and seven assists in 67 games.
McCausland has no doubt had his moments at Ibrox, but it feels like it would benefit everyone if he were to leave in January, with even his former Northern Ireland, Conor Washington, suggesting that a change of scenery might be needed to ensure he gets back into the international picture.
“It’s probably more about finding the right environment where he can play regularly, build confidence and get back to doing the things that made him stand out in the first place.
“Whether that’s at Rangers or somewhere else, I think regular football is the most important thing for him at this stage of his career.”
In any case, the only question is as to how much the Gers might rake in by selling the academy graduate in the new year, not least with his current contract set to expire next summer.
As already alluded to, he is also the lowest-value player in the squad right now, as per Transfermarkt, deemed to be worth just €750k (£630k).
For context, back-up ‘keeper Kelly is worth €800k (£670k), while the 30-year-old Souttar is worth roughly €1.5m (£1.2m).
That showcases just where McCausland’s stock is right now, and with it looking unlikely that he’ll play another minute this calendar year, a permanent exit in January would be best for all parties.
