Rangers swoop at last minute to seal Dan Neil transfer, medical underway
The midfielder is now officially a free agent after his contract with Sunderland expired on 30 June.
Despite looking set to join Southampton last week, Derek McInnes and the Bears have jumped in at the last moment.
Rangers have been very busy already in the transfer market after Andrew Cavenagh promised significant backing again.
With the goal of adding more local and homegrown talent, Neil will move north of the border from the Stadium of Light with no added cost.
Neil joins Lawrence Shankland, Ross McCrorie, Ben Godfrey and Ivor Pandur as the fifth new signing of the summer, and it's set to happen quicker than expected.
Dan Neil details emerge out of nowhere for Rangers transfer
This is a sensational move from those at Ibrox.
Neil has earned promotion to the Premier League twice in as many seasons, and securing a midfielder at the heart of that for no cost, is brilliant business.
Keith Downie of Sky Sports has reported that Neil has agreed a deal with Rangers after they swopped in the last 48 hours.
On top of that, Neil has already started his medical in Glasgow over the past 24 hours.
That is all that's standing between him and yet another announced transfer for McInnes and Rangers.
Dan Neil desperate after unsual road to Rangers
Despite consecutive promotions to the Premier League, Neil never really quite made it at the top level.
Captaining Sunderland at Wembley to play-off glory, he was then left behind by his boyhood club, who replaced him with Granit Xhaka.
It was justified, given they then qualified for Europe last season.
But, it's hard not to feel sorry for Neil, who still only made three appearances in the Premier League before leaving for Ipswich.
Southampton looked close to getting a deal over the line, but a third year in the Championship compared to Ibrox and Rangers is a clear difference.
It also means Rangers add to an area in midfield that was weak at times, given the lack of rotation available in recent years.
With doubts surrounding the futures of Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande, don't be surprised to see more action in midfield.
Could that be Lewis Ferguson? Only time will tell.