Rangers close to deal for Philippe Senderos

A Rangers debut for Philippe Senderos against Kilmarnock tomorrow night is a possibility according to Mark Warburton as the Ibrox manager seeks to make the 31-year-old defender his 11th and final summer signing, writes '¨Andrew Smith.

Rangers triallist Phillipe Senderos training at the Rangers Football Centre yesterday.

Warburton said yesterday he believed the club were edging towards signing a fourth centre-back. The Swiss international, pictured yesterday training at Murray Park, remains the likeliest candidate to fill a gap left open by the collapse of a move for Aston Villa’s Joleon Lescott.

Should the former Arsenal and AC Milan player sign in the next 24 hours then Warburton would have no qualms about pitching him straight in at Rugby Park.

“I thought he would need time [to get to match fitness] but watching him out there he has been more than impressive,” Warburton said. “He could be [involved on Friday] if we get it over the line, if it’s the right person, if it’s done in time. But there is no manic rush. It’s about it being right for Rangers and right for Philippe. If we get that combination then we’ll be OK.

“He is only 31. You think of him as older than that because he joined Arsenal at something like 18. He has been playing at the highest level for a long while, with three World Cups and a very impressive CV.

“We are having a look at him, he is having a look at us. That’s how it works. We have other options and so has he. The question marks we had were physically. Can he deal with it, training with the team? But he has dealt with every session more than comfortably.

“I am very hopeful that we are getting very near. I’m hoping that by the end of this week we will have a conclusion one way or another.”