RANGERS legend Brian Laudrup hopes his former club can push through a January transfer for Hearts defender John Souttar - but only once he's had one last chance to dent Celtic's title bid.

The Scotland internationalist's contract is up at the end of the season and the 25-year-old has already agreed a move to Ibrox once it expires, but the Premiership champions are believed to be interested in finalising a deal this month.

Laudrup reckons there are 'clear benefits' to such a strategy - but wants to see the transfer completed after January 26, when Robbie Neilson's side host Celtic, so Souttar can depart Tynecastle on a high note.

"For Souttar, there will be relief in having sorted out his future beyond this season," the Danish great told the Daily Mail. "But the here and now still has to be dealt with.

"Rangers might try and bring the move forward by agreeing a fee this window. There are clear benefits to that for them - and for Souttar - but so much of it depends on Hearts and what they might demand to make it happen.

"You’d also think it could be wise for Rangers to leave Souttar where he is until after Hearts play Celtic.

"Their perfect outcome would be for the player to leave Tynecastle on a high, having helped takes the points away from Celtic in the title race.

"If he stays, then Hearts come to Ibrox on February 6. Souttar would be the centre of attention that afternoon."

Laudrup is intimately familiar with the awkward situation Souttar could find himself in, should he remain a Hearts player for their trip to Govan.

The playmaker was on his way out of Chelsea when the English club were drawn alongside Copenhagen in the Cup Winners' Cup, and sealed a return to his homeland the following week.

"The closest parallel I can draw from my own career was actually my very last game for Chelsea, when we travelled to meet FC Copenhagen in the Cup Winners’ Cup," Laudrup added.

"The move hadn’t worked out and it became public knowledge I was in talks to go back to Denmark and join Copenhagen.

"That night was one of the strangest, most awkward games I ever played.

"Uncomfortable would be a mild word for it but I scored the goal that put Chelsea in the quarter-final and then moved to Copenhagen the following week."