Rangers have been told they must play the first leg of their Uefa Cup tie with Anzhi Makhachkala in Dagestan. The British Foreign Office had advised that travelling to the former Soviet Republic was unwise because of the potential threats to the safety of their players and officials. The Russian club was given until Friday to provide Uefa with guarantees that the game could safely go ahead there. Those assurances have now been provided and Rangers will now travel to Dagestan for the game on 13 September. Uefa director of communications Mike Lee said:
"We have received important written guarantees as well as independent advice on a range of security issues and can confirm that the game can go ahead as scheduled. We will continue to monitor the situation closely on a daily basis and we will not hesitate to cancel the match at short notice if the circumstances should deteriorate."

Middlesbrough completed the £600,000 signing of Scottish international winger Allan Johnston. The 27-year-old former Sunderland midfielder has signed a three-year deal after bringing an end to his disappointing spell at Rangers. Johnston is new Boro boss Steve McClaren's fourth signing and is likely to go straight into the squad for the club's Premiership clash with Newcastle at the Riverside Stadium on September 8.

Rangers may have missed out on Don Hutchison but they have now acquired one of Europe's deadliest marksmen. The Gers have signed Ajax's out-of-favour Georgian international Shota Arveladze on a four-year deal subject to a work permit. Rangers refused to pay more than £4million for Hutchison, who moved to West Ham for £5million on Wednesday night, and declined to reveal the exact fee for 28-year-old Arveladze. But sources in Holland quoted the fee as 10million guilders - around £3million - for a player who has hit a phenomenal 211 goals in 297 league games in a 10-year career. Chairman David Murray told the club's official website, rangers.co.uk:
"He is an excellent player with a terrific record. There is no doubt that at 28 he offers better value than Don Hutchison. He was here today for discussions and a medical and subject to a work permit he will join the club.We are all very excited about the signing and I'm sure he will be a great addition to the team."

The Georgian was a prolific hitman during his time in Amsterdam but fell out with the club because he refused to sign a contract extension. He did play against Celtic in a Champions League qualifier and was on target in the Scottish champions' 3-1 win in the Amsterdam ArenA. However, that game means he is ineligible to take part in Rangers' UEFA Cup campaign. Arveladze is now with his national team preparing for a World Cup qualifier with Hungary. He played with Ronald de Boer at Ajax and under Jan Wouters, the current Ibrox first team coach, when he was manager there. He started his career in 1990 with Marteve Tblisi, scoring 33 goals in 30 games. He continued to find the net regularly for Iberia Tblisi, Dinamo Tblisi and Turkish outfit Trabzonspor before moving to Ajax in 1997-98. He hit 25 goals in 31 goals that season and although he managed just 12 over the next two years he was back with a bang last season with 18 in 27. He also has 15 international goals to his name.

Rangers are expected to find out on Thursday if they are to travel to Dagestan for their UEFA Cup first round tie against Anzhi Makhachkala. The Ibrox side have voiced concerns about the trip on September 13 with the country, in the Caucasus region of the former Soviet Union, affected by sporadic fighting with kidnappings common. European governing body UEFA are undertaking extensive investigations into the matter and are likely to inform Rangers of their decision tomorrow afternoon. Spokesman Mike Lee said:
"As we have made clear UEFA is in the process of making extensive enquiries into the security matters surrounding this game. We have to consult many different sources and consider the real facts. We will be making an announcement on our decision before the end of this week and we would hope that the media focus on the official statement and no other."

Meanwhile, the Government have made it clear that they fear for the Glasgow team's safety if the game goes ahead in Dagestan. Rangers secretary/director Campbell Ogilvie has aired his own concerns about the journey into the unknown, and the Foreign Office have added their weight to the campaign to switch the tie to a neutral venue, possibly in Azerbaijan. A Foreign Office spokesperson said:
"We have advised Rangers not to travel because of fears over their safety and the turbulent nature of the area which they are travelling into. Another factor which has been forgotten is that some supporters may decide to travel which we would not advise. What I would want the supporters to remember is the fact that because the Foreign Office is against people travelling to the region, then insurance companies would be unlikely to give them cover so they would be travelling into an area with real problems with no life insurance."

Allan Johnston looks set to complete his move to Boro, after Rangers chairman David Murray confirmed the player is having talks on Teesside. Murray confirmed that the player, who has fallen out of favour at Ibrox, is at The Riverside today to discuss the terms on a move which is believed to be worth in the region of £1million. He said:
"Allan Johnston is currently having talks with Middlesbrough after the two clubs agreed a fee for the player. It is now down to Allan."

Wolves are confident that they can tie up a loan deal to bring Rangers youngster Kenny Miller to Molineux over the weekend. Dick Advocaat confirmed on Monday that he was prepared to let the striker leave Ibrox on a temporary basis, and Wolves have now revealed talks between the two clubs are ongoing.However, Wolves will not be able to sign the hitman until after Scotland's Under-21 clash with Croatia on Friday. Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey said:
"I am talking to David Murray at Rangers and there is a strong possibility of a deal.Rangers have made it clear Miller is not for sale but they say they welcome the chance of him getting a spell of regular first-team football."

Rangers chairman David Murray has revealed he expected Don Hutchison to join West Ham instead of his club. The Sunderland midfielder is currently with the Scotland squad preparing for Saturday's World Cup qualifier with Croatia. Rangers and West Ham had both been chasing the 30-year-old but Murray said he understood the Londoners were prepared to pay more to get him. The Gers were willing to pay £4million for the former Liverpool and Sheffield United player, who is also a former Hammer. But Hammers boss Glenn Roeder now appears to have got his man by agreeing to pay around £5million. Murray told PA Sport:
"I believe West Ham have made an offer which is in excess of our own. And much as we admire him, and much as we would have liked him to come here, perhaps West Ham believe they need him more than we do."

Michael Ball's £6,500,000 move from Everton to Ibrox has been delayed for between seven to 10 days as Rangers await the results of his medical. Ball has been in Glasgow for talks this week and was put through a rigorous medical by the club, but Rangers are determined not to splash out more money on another expensive player without first covering all their bases concerning injuries. Chairman David Murray said:
"Perhaps we have endeavoured to push this transfer for a variety of reasons but taking all relevant matters into consideration including several past situations, I must be 100% satisfied of the player's ability to sign and make an impact in playing, which we believe will be the case. I appreciate, Bill Kenwright's and Everton Football Club's co-operation in this matter."

Michael Mols is facing a UEFA ban of at least three-matches, for his sending off in last night's 0-0 draw with Fenerbache. The Rangers striker saw red for kicking Samual Johnson at Ibrox, and he'll miss the crucial second leg in Istanbul as a result. Fenerbahce keeper Recber Rustu assaulted Mols after the original incident but he only received a caution. Dick Advocaat was disgusted with referee Urs Mier for failing to send the Turk off.

Marcus Gayle has completed his £900,000 switch to English First Division side Watford. The 30-year-old Jamaican international hitman arrived at Ibrox in March from Wimbledon but failed to make any significant impact. Gayle said:
"The move to Rangers did not really work out. I just wanted to do it for the Rangers supporters and I want to thank them for their support."

Rangers manager Dick Advocaat has insisted that the capture and subsequent sale of Gayle for the same money represented "a bargain". The Ibrox boss maintains that the signing of Gayle was not a mistake despite him only making a handful of first team appearences. Advocaat said:
"I said at that point we needed a striker and we got the money back so it was a bargain."

Dundee United manager Alex Smith is poised to snap up winger Steven Carson from Rangers. The 20-year-old has made only four appearances for the Ibrox first team. Carson said:
"The chances of first team football are very limited at Rangers and Alex Smith is keen to give me a chance to prove myself in the SPL. Although we have not discussed personal terms, I've had a chat with Alex about the football side of things and I'm very happy with what I've heard. The football is more important than the money side. I'm very optimistic. I know Charlie Miller and Barry Nicholson and they've both proved that there's life after Ibrox so it'll be up to me to work hard. I've had a good schooling at Ibrox but it's hard for a Rangers manager to blood young players. Alex Smith has proved that he is willing to give youth a chance - that's what I need."

Rangers expect to complete the signing of England defender Michael Ball on Monday after the player agreed terms and passed a medical. A £6.5million fee had already been agreed with his club Everton. After receiving favourable advice from Goodison Park team-mate Paul Gascoigne, the 21-year-old travelled to Glasgow on Friday, where he met manager Dick Advocaat for the first time and completed contractual negotiations with chairman David Murray. However Ball's arrival has come too late to take part in Wednesday night's Champions League showdown with Turkish champions Fenerbahce however. The deadline for the third qualifying round was last week and in any case the defender is carrying a slight knee injury, although he will hope to be involved against surprise Premier League pace-setters Dunfermline at East End Park on Saturday.

Dick Advocaat confirmed Everton defender Michael Ball is in Glasgow for transfer talks. A fee - believed to be around £6.5million - has been agreed between the clubs. And the Ibrox manager has revealed that both clubs are confident the deal will go through. He said:
"It's quite simple - negotiations are still going on so the deal is not done. He is in Glasgow having talks and both clubs have the feeling that the deal can be done but again there is still a lot to do. He is one of the most promising players in England in that position and he has done extremely well for Walter Smith. He is a young player with a lot of talent and for the future of us that is very important."

Christian Nerlinger is out of Rangers' Champions League tie against Fenerbahce at Ibrox next Wednesday. The German was kicked on the sole of his left foot during the 3-1 win over NK Maribor in midweek and had to limp off. Rangers had to wait 24 hours before the full extent of the damage was known. And the bad news is that he is out of tomorrow's home game with Livingston and the crucial third round qualifying first leg at home to the Turkish champions. This is a major blow for Rangers, as Nerlinger had made an impressive start to his Ibrox career, scoring in the wins at Maribor and Aberdeen.

Young striker Peter MacDonald has joined St Johnstone for £125,000. MacDonald a regular goal score for the Under-21 side has signed a 3 year deal with the Perth club.

Rangers have postponed their Premier League game against Dundee from Saturday August 25 to Sunday August 26. Both clubs have agreed with the SPL to delay the game to allow Rangers time to recover from the midweek trip to Turkey. They are due to face Fenerbahce in the second leg of their Champions League third round qualifier.

David Murray believes Everton's England international defender Michael Ball will sign within the next 48 hours. A fee of around £6.5million has been agreed for the 21-year-old, according to the Glasgow club's official website, rangers.co.uk. But the player must first agree a pay-off deal with the Premiership club before thrashing out personal terms with Rangers. Murray said on Wednesday:
"We have agreed terms with Bill Kenwright at Everton. The deal is subject to the player tying up a few loose ends at Everton but we hope to sign him up in the next couple of days. He is an exciting young player who represents a long-term investment by the club and I'm sure he will be a very good addition to Dick Advocaat's squad."

Ball, who was capped by Sven-Goran Eriksson against Spain last season, has two years on his current Goodison contract. Rangers initially wanted to seal the deal before Thursday's Champions League deadline, which would have made him eligible for the third qualifying round clash with Fenerbahce should they see off Maribor tonight. But the player is not fully fit and that has slowed down the need to complete the move right away. Everton manager Walter Smith, Advocaat's predecessor at Ibrox, added:
"The clubs have been in discussion and we will just have to wait and see now."