Blackburn seal Khizanishvili deal

Khizanishvili joined Rangers from Dundee in 2003

Blackburn Rovers have signed Glasgow Rangers defender Zurab Khizanishvili on a season-long loan deal.

The deal includes an option for Rovers to buy the player on a permanent basis if the loan spell is successful.

Khizanishvili joined from Dundee in 2003 but fell out of favour at Ibrox last season and almost joined German side Schalke 04 in the summer.

Portsmouth had also been interested in the signing 23-year-old, who has not played for Rangers this season.

Khizanishvili, who made his name at Dens Park as a central defender but has also played in midfield, stated his determination at the start of the season to fight for his place at Ibrox.

But the arrival of Jose Pierre-Fanfan, Brahim Hemdani, Ian Murray and Julien Rodriguez put him further down the pecking order with the Scottish champions.

Khizanishvili impressed in two seasons at Dens Park after arriving from Lokomotiv Tbilisi.

Dundee were angered when a transfer panel ruled that they were owed nothing in compensation from Rangers when the defender they rated at £1m eventually won a move to the Glasgow club.