Rangers sign Bournemouth midfielder Joe Rothwell for undisclosed fee

Rangers boss Russell Martin has been reunited with Joe Rothwell after the midfielder sealed a permanent transfer from Bournemouth.

The 30-year-old, who still had a year to run on his Cherries deal, has moved to Ibrox for an undisclosed fee and signed a three-year contract.

Rothwell spent six months on loan under recently-appointed Gers manager Martin at Southampton in the 2023-24 campaign as they won promotion from the Skt Bet Championship via the play-offs.

The Englishman did not get the chance to play in the Premier League as he instead joined Leeds on loan from the Cherries last season, but he enjoyed more glory at the Elland Road club – whose chairman Paraag Marathe is also now Rangers’ vice-chairman – by winning the Championship title.

Rothwell, who played up to Under-20 level with England, came through the ranks at Manchester United before moving to Oxford in 2016.

He then spent four years with Blackburn from 2018 to 2022 before signing for Bournemouth, which preceded his back-to-back promotion-winning stints at Southampton and Leeds.

Rothwell becomes Rangers’ third new addition this summer following the arrival of midfielder Lyall Cameron from Dundee and right-back Max Aarons on loan from Bournemouth.