Thompson shows off his new colours

Rangers have unveiled Steven Thompson as their latest signing.

The 24-year-old has signed a deal for the next three-and-a-half years.

With Billy Dodds' transfer from Rangers to United completed on Monday, Thompson will complete his move in the opposite direction in time to be registered as a Rangers player on Wednesday morning.

He goes into the squad to face Dundee on Thursday.

Thompson insists he has no intention of spending his Ibrox career on the bench.

"I'm here to try to make myself the number one striker at Rangers," he said.

"There is a lot of quality here and if you can't learn from players like that you'll never learn. But I am not looking to be just a squad player at Rangers."

Nominal fee

Rangers manager Alex McLeish added: "Over the last year Steven has really established himself and he has a fantastic opportunity here at Rangers.

"Every once in a while you get a crack at something like this and it's up to Steven to make the most of it."

A move to Ibrox had been mooted for Thompson, who has scored nine times for United this season, after he was placed on the transfer list at Tannadice.

But it had looked increasingly likely that nothing would happen until the player's contract with United ran out in the summer, with Rangers boss Alex McLeish denying that a deal was imminent.

That situation clearly changed, possibly as a result of McLeish's concern over the lack of an out-and-out goalscorer at Ibrox.

A nominal fee in the region of �200,000 is thought to have been involved.

Thompson has become a regular in the Scotland team since Berti Vogts took over as manager.

He scored his first international goal in the friendly victory over Canada, but also impressed alongside Stevie Crawford in the Euro 2004 qualifier win over Iceland.