Connor Goldson raring to go after signing for Steven Gerrard’s Rangers

New Rangers defender Connor Goldson cannot wait to get started as part of Steven Gerrard’s squad.

The centre-back, 25, has joined the Scottish club on a four-year-deal from Brighton, becoming the sixth signing by new boss Gerrard.

Goldson, who had heart surgery in early 2017, grew up a Liverpool fan and is relishing linking up with the former Reds midfielder at Ibrox as they start a pre-season training camp.

“Steven Gerrard had a massive influence on my decision to sign. When he first spoke to me I didn’t really know what I was doing, there were a few clubs interested in me in the Championship and I didn’t really know what to do,” Goldson told rangers.co.uk.

“We carried on speaking and he has been brilliant with me, he said I could speak to him whenever I wanted to or whatever I was thinking.

“We spoke quite a lot over the summer and it got to the point where I sat down with my family and I thought it was the right decision to make for myself and for them. For us all to be happy and for me to be playing football every week at a huge club.

“Now he is my manager and I want to be able to learn off him as a coach and as a manager. I don’t really think there is going to be time for me to be star struck and be in awe of him.

“We have a lot of work to do this season, we want to improve the team and we want to see how far we can go.”

Wolverhampton-born Goldson joined Brighton from Shrewsbury in 2015, and became an established member of the team in the Sky Bet Championship.

However, during February last year, a routine screening uncovered “a possible risk factor”, so the 6ft 3ins defender underwent heart surgery.

Goldson returned to action and made his Premier League debut in the 1-0 win over Watford on December 23.

After finding his first-team chances limited, Goldson intends to make the most of his opportunity at Ibrox.

“I probably could have stayed at Brighton. They weren’t really desperate for me to go, but I think at this stage, at 25-years-old and with the operation I obviously had, it just made me hungrier to want to play football,” Goldson said.

“That put a lot of things in perspective and one of those things was to just play as much as I could.

“Every time I have been given a chance to play I have always done well. I am a player who has always played, apart from in the last two years

“Those two years have been tough for me personally, but now I have the opportunity to get back playing every week and show what I can do.”

Goldson’s arrival, in what is understood to be a £3million deal, follows on from the signing of Croatia defender Nikola Katic.

Midfielder Scott Arfield has moved from Burnley, while Rangers have also brought goalkeeper Allan McGregor back to the club, made Jamie Murphy’s loan switch from Brighton permanent and signed Liverpool youngster Ovie Ejaria on a year-long loan.