Scottish Championship side Rangers have signed Wigan Athletic defender Rob Kiernan for an undisclosed fee on a two-year-deal.
The 24-year-old reunites with manager Mark Warburton at Ibrox, as the pair worked together at Watford where Warburton coached an academy side that Kiernan was part of at the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland.
The Gers boss is a keen admirer of the centre-back as they were brought together again when Warburton was Sporting Director at Brentford and brought the defender from Wigan on loan.
The former Republic of Ireland Under-19 and 21 captain moves to Glasgow after a loan spell at Birmingham City came to a close at the end of last season.
Kiernan has played in Scotland before when he had a spell on loan with Kilmarnock.
The defender who can also play in midfield just wants to play first-team football, he said: “I’ve been up and down the country a few times, the lads laugh because I’ve been on loan a few times. But I did it because I wanted to progress earlier than everyone else.
“I could have sat at these clubs and played Under-21 football but I didn’t want to do that. I genuinely thought that if I go and learn my trade that will stand me in good stead.
“I turned up at Kilmarnock as a kid really and I got battered every day in training by Kevin Kyle but looking back on it now I think it’s the best thing I’ve done.” he added.
The Latics have recently sold winger James McClean to West Brom and goalkeeper Scott Carson from Derby County.
On the other hand, they have brought in Walsall goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell, Blackpool midfielder David Perkins and Rotherham United defender Craig Morgan.
By Drew Darbyshire (@DarbySports)
