OPINION
Mark Allen is spot on to identify Hearts defender John Souttar as Rangers’ top target for the summer transfer window.
According to the Daily Record, the Light Blues are eyeing up a move for the 22-year-old, who director of football Allen sees as someone who can improve Steven Gerrard’s defence.
Rangers’ back-line has caused all kinds of problems this season and many of their fans would surely agree that strengthening that area of the squad in the summer should be a top priority.
And it seems as though that idea is shared by Allen, who reportedly wants to see Souttar head to Ibrox in the summer.
Souttar has been superb for Hearts over the last couple of seasons.
He has made 29 appearances in all competitions this term for the Edinburgh club, missing nearly all of October, November and December with a hip injury.
During his time on the sidelines, it was clear that Hearts missed the former Dundee United centre-back.
They won just five of 13 Scottish Premiership fixtures, kept just five clean sheets in the league and were knocked out of the Scottish League Cup by eventual winners Celtic.
Before Souttar was injured, Craig Levein’s side won six out of eight league matches and kept four clean sheets.
It is clear that the Scotland international is a key player at Tynecastle and given the fact that Joe Worrall’s loan spell at Rangers expires in the summer, Gerrard is going to need at least one new centre-back.
Souttar is someone who could be a regular starter for the Light Blues next season if they were able to lure him away from Hearts.
Him and Connor Goldson could be Gerrard’s centre-back pairing, and that would be a massive improvement on the Goldson and Worrall partnership that has caused many issues this season.
It would be a solid piece of business by Rangers if they signed Souttar, and fans should applaud Allen for making him a priority target for the upcoming summer transfer window.