Cummings ‘can’t wait’ to play for Rangers after Forest loan switch

L Former Hibs striker moves back up north as Martin deal nears completion

Rangers last night completed the loan signing of Jason Cummings from Nottingham Forest, with Norwich City defender Russell Martin expected to agree a similar deal in the next few days.

Forest’s summer signing from Hibs will spend the rest of the season at Ibrox after scoring just four goals in 18 appearances for the east Midlands side, and could join Rangers on a permanent basis in the summer.

Signed by former Ibrox boss Mark Warburton, Cummings failed to hold down a regular starting berth at the City Ground and was understood to have held talks with Warburton’s successor Aitor Karanka last week.

The 22-year-old underwent a medical in Glasgow at the weekend before finalising his move to Rangers last night.

He is the fourth player to join Rangers this month after QPR’S Sean Goss and Brighton’s Jamie Murphy arrived on loan and former Cardiff loanee Declan John signed a permanent deal.

Cummings, pictured, told Rangerstv: “I’m absolutely delighted to come to such a massive club. Once I knew they were interested, there was no question in my mind that I wanted to sign for them.

“It’s such a massive club and it’s a privilege to be here. I can’t wait to get out there at Ibrox and wear the blue. I can’t wait to get started now. I asked my agent to try to sort something out, and when I heard Rangers were interested it was just something I couldn’t decline.

“I have always enjoyed playing against Rangers, and hopefully I can enjoy playing on the other side this time.”

Scotlandinternational Martin is also expected to put pen to paper on a loan deal. Martin hasn’t featured for the Canaries this season, and knows Murty well from the Rangers manager’s time as a youth coach at Carrow Road.

Terms have reportedly been agreed between the two clubs and Martin will likely undergo a medical in Glasgow in the next 24 hours.

Murty has also expressed an interest in Hamilton midfielder Greg Docherty, while a bid for Kilmarnock’s Jordan Jones was emphatically rejected by the Ayrshire club yesterday. Cummings and Martin fit in with the “British blueprint” Murty hopes will make Rangers major players in the second half of the season. He wants players who know what it takes to be a Rangers player and can handle the expectation that goes with it. And it seems certain that he will look to move on some of the foreign imports brought to the club by Pedro Caixinha – following Carlos Pena, who has gone on loan to Cruz Azul in his native Mexico with a view to a permanent deal.

Murty said: “I don’t want to cast aspersions on anyone from outside Scotland or indeed the British Isles. That would not be right. But the make-up and style of football that I want to play is simple. I want to be dynamic, I want to be up-tempo and fast-paced. I want to be physical but I also need players who can deal with the football.

“Players who can stand up inside Ibrox and command possession of the ball.

“I want strong characters, people who can handle the mental demands of playing for Rangers and playing at Ibrox.

“It’s hard to play at Ibrox. It’s not easy to play with the expectation that comes with being a Rangers player and rightly so because of the history of this football club.

“We want people who can accept that responsibility, play to the style we are looking to implement and also walk out at Ibrox and make something happen. You need character to play at Ibrox. I’m adding players to the group who will sacrifice themselves for the team. Hopefully the players we’ve already brought in will do that and also make us better.”