Rangers' Edu is given work permit

USA midfielder Maurice Edu is set to complete his move to Rangers after being granted a work permit.

The 22-year-old agreed a five-year contract last week after the Ibrox club and Major League Soccer settled on a fee of £2.6m.

Edu, who can also play in defence, becomes the third midfielder to check-in at Ibrox in the last seven days.

He had been playing for Toronto, where former Rangers striker Maurice Johnston is manager and director of football.

Johnston had recommended the player, who has six caps, to the Glasgow club.

With captain and playmaker Barry Ferguson out injured for another two or three months, Rangers manager Walter Smith has now significantly strengthened the midfield area.

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Pedro Mendes, from Portsmouth, and Steven Davis, on a permanent deal from Fulham, have both been added to the squad in the last week.

Kevin Thomson and Christian Dailly can also play in a defensive midfield role.

But Edu is versatile and has just returned from Beijing having played three games for the United States at the Olympics in central defence.

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