Olwethu Makhanya's impressive start at Rangers has sparked concerns that he may attract transfer interest.
The South African defender has been a revelation since joining from Philadelphia Union in the summer, quickly establishing himself as a key figure in Derek McInnes' side.
Makhanya's performances have drawn widespread praise, but former Rangers defender Alan Hutton fears that his form could alert clubs south of the border ahead of the January transfer window.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Hutton admitted he sees similarities with former Rangers defender Jean-Alain Boumsong, who became a standout performer at Ibrox before being sold to Newcastle United for around £8 million just six months after arriving.
Hutton said: "It’s a real concern that Makhanya is doing so well that somebody might come in and try to pinch him in January, similarly to what happened with Boumsong."
He acknowledged that this is "part and parcel of football these days" and pointed out that Rangers' model involves bringing in players, developing them, and moving them on for profit.
"Unfortunately for Rangers, the bigger clubs are going to pinch their best players," Hutton added.
Despite acknowledging the reality of modern football, Hutton believes Rangers supporters will be desperate to see Makhanya remain at the club for the long term. "But the fans here want to see guys like Makhanya long-term," he said.
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"He’s only young himself, so he’ll want to develop too.
"This is the first stage in that, coming over to Europe and showing what he’s capable of."
Hutton hopes Rangers can keep hold of the defender as McInnes looks to build a team capable of challenging for major honours. "I hope he stays because I think Rangers are building something," he said.
"I think we’re starting to see signs of it under Derek McInnes. I want him to go and lift silverware and win the league and all these things, and I’m sure he wants to be part of that going forward.
"He has so much time on his side, I don’t think he needs to jump ship too early, but money talks, unfortunately."
The former full-back went on to describe Makhanya as one of Rangers' best signings in recent years, praising the ease with which he has adapted to Scottish football.
"He’s been one of the best signings for Rangers for a long time," Hutton said. "There’s been a lot of talk around the likes of Fernandez and what has been going on with him this summer, but I think Makhanya has been so steady, so easy on the eye.
"He’s come in and settled in seamlessly, a bit under the radar. Rangers haven’t had much success recently with guys coming in from MLS, but he’s just taken everything in his stride.
He’s gone from strength to strength."
