Rangers capture Khizanishvili

Free agent
Khizanishvili passed his medical today and will formally sign a contract at Ibrox on 1 July once his Dundee contract expires and his work permit has been renewed. The player leaves Dens Park as a free agent, but Dundee will battle for a compensation fee due to them as the player is under 23.

Compensation wrangle
"He's definitely gone," a Dundee spokesman said. "Rangers have approached us with a compensation offer which is a pittance. We are naturally disappointed and we should wait for the real offer now."

'Details to be finalised'
Rangers director of football business, Martin Bain, said: "Rangers Football Club are pleased to announce that Zura Khizanishvili passed a full medical today and that the club has agreed personal terms with him. There are still one or two details to be finalised, however, we are confident he will be a Rangers player next week."

Links up with Arveladze
Khizanishvili, 21, will link up with international team-mate Shota Arveladze at the Scottish champions. He had received other offers from Portugal and England but the lure of the UEFA Champions League proved too strong for a player who joined Dundee two years ago from FC Lokomotiv Tbilisi.

Cup final
Khizanishvili's last game for Dundee came in the Scottish Cup final defeat by Rangers on 31 May. Rangers enter the Champions League in the third qualifying round where they will meet as yet unspecified opponents.