Glenn Middleton joins Rangers from Norwich City

Glenn Middleton in action for Norwich City under-21s against Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s in March 2016. Picture: Getty Images

The 18-year-old has joined the Ibrox side’s development squad and has been capped seven times by Scotland Under-19s.

Middleton had been playing with the Canaries’ Under-23 side, and had expressed an interest in first team football.

While he didn’t make a single senior appearance for City, he was named on the bench for the Emirates FA Cup third round replay against Southampton in the 2016/17 season.

Norwich academy chief Steve Weaver said: “Glenn expressed a desire to play first team football. This hasn’t been easy for us to sort as there is strong competition in his position within the first team.

“Now, this opportunity has come up for him to go to Rangers. It’s a great chance for him to go home and play some first team football. It’s in his best interests to go and play up there.”

Craig Mulholland, Head of Academy for Rangers, added: “We are delighted to sign Glenn as he is a player that we have tracked for some time both at Norwich and with Scotland.

“He is a powerful and very quick wide player who fits well with our player characteristics for that position and we believe he will excel within our style of play having already played many games in Norwich’s under-23 team despite his young age.

“Importantly Glenn has shown a real desire to join Rangers and is hungry and driven to succeed and it is important that we see this desperation to do well at Rangers in a players eyes when they join the club.”

The acquisition of Middleton will see increased competition for places in the Rangers development squad with Serge Atakayi, Liam Burt, Andy Dallas, Stephen Kelly and Zak Rudden all pushing for attacking positions.

Mulholland continued: “It will be interesting to see the characters of the lads as they push each other hard every day in training and in every game.

“We are delighted to secure one of Scotland’s brightest young talents and I know the Development Squad coaches David McCallum, Billy Kirkwood and Peter Lovenkrands are looking forward to working with Glenn and we all wish him well in his Rangers career,”