“He’s a senior figure” – Rangers teammate hoping Leon Balogun extends his stay at Ibrox

Rangers and Scotland defender, John Souttar, has urged the Record Scottish Champions to keep veteran Nigerian centre-back, Leon Balogun, at Ibrox, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 36-year-old has played 113 games for Rangers across two stints, but his journey could well be over as his contract runs out next month.

Balogun has indicated a desire to remain with the UEFA Europa League quarter-finalists, but with new owners and a new coach coming in next season, talks about a renewal have been put on hold.

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Balogun and Souttar have formed a decent defensive partnership for Barry Ferguson's side this season, and the Scottish centre-back has urged the club to keep the ex-Mainz 05 man at Ibrox beyond this season.

“Leon [Balogun] has done a great job this season, and it would be great to see him next year.

“He is a senior figure in the changing room, along with James Tavernier, he's a great person to have and we need senior figures like him in the squad,” Souttar said in quotes revealed by Rangers Review.

With Carlo Ancelotti heading to Brazil just before the Club World Cup, his son, also his assistant, will take over from Barry Ferguson as Rangers' head coach from next season. He'll be in charge of Super Eagles forward, Cyriel Dessers, and probably Balogun if his contract situation gets sorted.

Davide Ancelotti was once praised by Nigeria and Fulham midfielder, Alex Iwobi, during his time at Everton.

“I remember when he [Ancelotti] first got appointed. Everyone was just eating lunch and he's walked in. Everyone's just chatting. As soon as he's walked in, everyone was silent. Everyone was just looking. That was mad.

“We'd heard about it (the appointment) but when he actually walks in, his presence was mental.

“He comes down and he watches training. He does have his say but it's more his son [Davide] that does the talking, obviously he will have his input as well. If you watch the games, you'll see his son always chatting to him,” the ex-Arsenal man said on the Filthy Fellas Podcast.

Balogun could play his last game for Rangers this weekend when they travel to the Easter Road Stadium in Edinburgh to take on Hibernian.