Rangers have announced the signing of Robin Propper from FC Twente.
The 30-year-old defender has been recruited as a replacement for Connor Goldson, who ended his six-year Ibrox stay by joining Aris Limassol earlier this week.
Propper made over 100 appearances across three seasons at his previous club, and could go straight into the Gers team to face Heart of Midlothian on Saturday.
The experienced centre-back joins fellow new additions Jefté, Hamza Igamane, Oscar Cortes, Mohamed Diomande, Connor Barron, Liam Kelly, Clinton Nsiala and Václav Černy in the Rangers dressing room, with regaining the Scottish Premiership firmly on the agenda.
Read more:
- How new UEFA Champions League draw format affects Celtic and Rangers
- Rangers lose Birmingham City friendly as fed-up fans demand quality
Commenting on getting his latest recruit through the door, Rangers manager Philippe Clement said: “We are thrilled to welcome Robin to Rangers and he will be an excellent addition to our squad.
“As a defender he is powerful and has great attributes, which include the experience he has gained from his years playing in the Netherlands and the leadership qualities he has shown from being the captain of FC Twente.
“He is excited to start the next chapter of his career in Scotland and we are excited to have him on board as we get ready for the new season. We are thrilled Robin has decided to become a Rangers player.”
After sealing his switch to Scotland, the former FC Twente captain, who will wear the No.4 jersey at Ibrox, stated: “Rangers is a big club with big players, and on the first day, it feels really good to be here.
"If you walk in here you immediately see it's a big club. I was very glad to hear about the club like Rangers wanting to sign me."
Read more:
- Watch as ex-Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty sent off for '100mph' tackle
- Ryan Jack provides post-Rangers transfer update
Propper then went on to explain his decision to switch the Dutch Eredivisie for Scottish football at this stage in his career.
"I had a few good years at FC Twente of course," he explained.
"It felt nice to be at Twente and as a big club in Holland. But I always said I wanted to have a new adventure in another country and then when a club like Rangers comes in for you it feels strange and surreal."
The towering defender has leadership qualities in abundance from his time over in the Netherlands and he revealed why he couldn't turn down the opportunity to join a powerhouse like Rangers.
"It has everything," he smiled. "History, the big players, a few Dutch players as well. Ibrox, of course, everybody knows it. So, in that case, it's the right spot for me to be now."
Asked what Rangers supporters can expect from him, he replied: "I'm a central defender and I can play on the left or the right side. I'm experienced.
"I've had maybe 12 years in the Eredivisie now in Holland. I'm coaching, I try help players, and I do my very best for the team. So, I hope that they can get what they expect from me."
Read more:
Propper admits he called upon two current Rangers star for advice before writing his name on the dotted line, and they couldn't have sold the project any better.
"The ambition is so high," he said. "They put a level up, and that's why it's good to be here so you can improve and develop. I want to go to another level and hopefully to get many good years ahead.
"In the last few days I contacted them (Cyriel Dessers and Vaclav Cerny), and they were talking only nice things about this club.
"Vaclav, I played with at FC Twente, Cyriel at Heracles in Holland and Andries Ulderick, the assistant coach, I already knew. So, that's nice to see familiar faces, and they can talk me through the new faces that I haven't experienced yet."
"I'm aware of the Dutch connection at the club," he continued. "For me when I was younger you would hear about Rangers because of the Dutch players and what they have achieved here. It's nice to be the next Dutchman in town."
Meanwhile, Rangers' director of football recruitment, Nils Koppen added: “I would like to welcome Robin to Rangers and I am delighted to add him to our squad.
“We have been working on bringing experience into the squad and Robin certainly brings that. He is someone I was well aware of from my time in the Netherlands and I believe he has the right qualities to fit in well at the club.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel