GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Sheyi Ojo of Rangers FC acknowledges the crowd after the UEFA Europa League group G match between Rangers FC and Feyenoord at Ibrox Stadium on September 19, 2019 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
Rangers boss Derek McInnes is on the brink of landing midfielder and defender Ross McCrorie as he prepares to be unveiled at Ibrox this week.
McCrorie, 27, is set for an emotional homecoming to the club where he started his career, with a deal from Bristol City understood to be close to completion.
McInnes knows the Scotland international better than most, having signed him for Aberdeen during his final season at Pittodrie on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy.
The 54-year-old has never been shy about expressing his admiration for McCrorie, and his past comments paint a clear picture of the player’s standing in his eyes.
Speaking after a win over Hibs in August 2020, McInnes said: “Ross McCrorie is an absolute dream of a boy, he’s a Rolls-Royce.”
That glowing assessment suggests McCrorie will be handed a prominent role in McInnes’ new-look Rangers side from the outset of the new campaign.
McCrorie’s career has been disrupted by injuries at various points, but he has established himself as a regular starter since leaving Rangers to pursue first-team football.
His time at Bristol City earned him widespread acclaim and helped cement his reputation as one of the more reliable and versatile defenders in British football.
McInnes has also spoken admiringly of McCrorie’s personal ambition and his desire to forge his own path away from the comfort of his boyhood club.
McInnes added: “He didn’t want to be in the shadows, he didn’t just want to be a Rangers squad player, he wanted to get out and get on with his career, and I love that about him.”
That same drive and determination is now expected to make him a cornerstone of the McInnes era at Ibrox, whether deployed at right-back, central defence, or in midfield.
McCrorie is also being considered as a potential candidate for the Rangers captaincy, alongside fellow new arrival Lawrence Shankland.
Even if the armband goes to someone else, the versatile defender is expected to play a significant leadership role within the squad under his returning manager.
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