MURPH SET TO SEAL £1M ‘DREAM’ MOVE

JAMIE Murphy says it will be a boyhood dream come true to play for Rangers, after he flew into Glasgow yesterday to finalise a £1million move to the Ibrox club.

Murphy, who started his career in Scotland with Motherwell before enjoying spells at Sheffield United and Brighton, has supported Rangers all of his life, and underwent a medical yesterday afternoon ahead of his move back north of the border.

The 28-year-old has been aware of the interest in him from Ibrox for quite some

time, and had been hoping that a deal could be struck with current club Brighton after he found first-team opportunities hard to come by this season following the south-coast club’s promotion to the English Premier League.

There are still some details to be ironed out, but all going well, Murphy should be confirmed as a Rangers player this afternoon, and he couldn’t be happier at the prospect of pulling on the light blue jersey.

“Obviously it’s Rangers,” he said. “It’s the club I supported as a boy and still support now.”

The capture of Murphy is the second signing made by Rangers already in the January transfer window, after bringing in Sean Goss on loan from Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday.

Manager Graeme Murty had stated he wanted to get his business done early in the window, and it looks as though the Ibrox board are keen to back his plans as they bid to improve upon an inconsistent first half of their Premiership campaign.

Murphy has been impressed by what he has seen of Rangers so far this term though, and he is hoping that he can help strengthen the side further.

“It’s been a good season so far [for Rangers],” he said. “They’re always looking to improve so hopefully I can be a part of that.

“Hopefully we’ll get the medical through and then we’ll see what happens.”

Murphy came through the ranks at Motherwell after joining their youth set-up in 2002, making his debut four years later and enjoying a successful 11-year spell in Lanarkshire.

He joined Sheffield United, then in League One, in 2013, where he played under former Rangers captain and assistant manager Davie Weir.

After establishing himself in the English lower leagues, he was snapped up by Brighton in the summer of 2015 for a reported fee of around £2million, helping the club in their promotion to the Premier League last season.

After splashing a club record £13million fee on winger José Izquierdo in the summer though, Murphy found himself edged out of the Brighton side.