Harry Souttar has reportedly been informed that he can leave Leicester this month.
The centre-back has been frozen out by the Foxes and has only played three times in the Championship this season, starting once. In the summer, he was strongly rumoured to be a target of Rangers and former manager Michael Beale because he did not fit Enzo Maresco’s plans.
Beale was said to be in the pipeline for a loan as he was looking for another centre-forward and Souttar would be reunited with his brother John. The 25-year-old signed for Stoke City for £15 million a year ago, but shortly afterwards saw Brendan Rodgers get sacked and drop out of the game.
The Athletic now reports that Leicester want to offload Souttar in this window.
He is with the Australian team at the Asian Cup, which could complicate any deal the club tries to make.
Souttar has made one appearance for high-flying Leicester since their relegation from the Premier League, accumulating just 175 minutes of play in all competitions in the 2023-24 season.
The 25-year-old Australian international, who was tipped to leave before the start of the campaign, became the most expensive Australian transfer in history when Leicester signed him from Stoke City in January after the 2022 Men’s World Cup, but he quickly found himself on the outside market when Brendan Rodgers was sacked and Dean Smith came in as acting manager.
When Leicester appointed former Manchester City coach Maresco and central defenders Caglar Soyuncu (Atletico Madrid) and Jonny Evans (Manchester United) departed, there was a lot of hope, but not much has changed for Souttar.