Steven Gerrard’s Rangers sign Gareth McAuley on a free after leaving West Brom

RANGERS have signed Gareth McAuley on a free transfer after he left West Brom this summer.

The veteran Northern Ireland international, 38, left the Baggies at the end of the 2017-18 season following their Premier League relegation.

Now the ex-Leicester defender has headed north of the border to link up with Steven Gerrard at the Gers.

McAuley becomes Gerrard’s 15th signing of the summer as his major overhaul at Ibrox continues.

The former West Brom defender has signed a one-year deal seeing him through until the end of the 2018-19 season.

McAuley was also on the radar of Hearts and Aberdeen and was in talks with former club Ipswich.

But the Northern Ireland defender has jumped at the chance to join his boyhood heroes.

Speaking after the derby defeat to Celtic, boss Steven Gerrard confirmed McAuley would become his latest – and final – signing this window.

He said: “I hope that’s going to be the case. There is no major rush, he’s been called up by Northern Ireland, so we won’t see him for a couple of weeks.

“That will be the last deal.”