BRISTOL CITY have completed the signing of Aberdeen defender Ross McCrorie in a deal worth up to £2million.
And that will see Rangers bank a six-figure profit after the former Ibrox prospect clinched a three-year contract with the Championship outfit.
McCrorie put pen-to-paper at Ashton Gate on Tuesday before jetting out to Spain to join up with the Scotland squad.
Steve Clarke is putting his players through their paces ahead of the crucial qualifiers away to Norway and at home to Georgia in the coming days.
And the Hampden boss had no qualms about calling on McCrorie to provide defensive cover as the likes of John Souttar and Liam Cooper bid to prove their fitness for the huge double-header.
Clarke said: "He’s had a good season. The Aberdeen players had a sticky patch, but they came through that, and Ross has impressed a lot of people.
"He’s got good athleticism, he gets up and down the pitch and he’s good in possession.
"Ross has also started in one position more often, rather than being moved around as much, so that’s given him that bit of continuity. He’s been in the squad before, so it’s nice to have him back again."
McCrorie makes the move to City after becoming an integral part of the Reds side in recent seasons and his loss is a significant blow to boss Barry Robson ahead of the new campaign.
Aberdeen refused to stand in the way of the 25-year-old, though, and it is understood that McCrorie and his representatives are grateful for the way in which the Pittodrie hierarchy and Steven Gunn, the director of football operations, handled his switch south of the border.
McCrorie joined the Dons on an initial loan deal in August 2020 and the move was made permanent six months later as Scott Wright headed in the opposite direction and joined the Light Blues.
Rangers inserted a sell-on clause in that agreement and will now receive around £200,000 as McCrorie prepares for the next stage of his career in the Championship.
