COLIN Hendry was being unveiled as Rangers' latest signing at Ibrox this afternoon after the loose ends on his controversial transfer from Blackburn Rovers were tied up, writes PETER WHITE.

And that sees Roy Hodgson plunged into a search for a successor just 11 days before the start of the new Premiership season.

Ewood chief executive John Williams had admitted this morning there was a "fair chance" of the deal being completed later today.

In Glasgow, Rangers' players said they were expecting to see the man who will take over as their skipper once things had been finalised.

That happened just before lunchtime, when Hendry arrived and an afternoon Press conference was announced.

Hodgson, meanwhile, has not yet officially ruled out replacing the Scottish star from within the squad, but another move into the transfer market looks inevitable.

The manager's problem is to find a top-class central defender at such short notice.

Other clubs will be just as reluctant to sell as Rovers were to part with the long-serving Scot.

As the two clubs prepared to wrap up the final details of the Hendry package today, Mr Williams spoke frankly of the bitter disappointment at Ewood that this situation had even arisen.

Rovers say the deal is worth "circa £4 million", Rangers sources claim the fee is £3.75. So both could be spot on!

But the money is scant consolation to the club.

"It is not what we wanted and it would be foolish to pretend it was our choice to go ahead with this," said Mr Williams.

"But we have tried to make the best of it and get the best result we could for the club in the circumstances. I think we have done that and we have also tried to communicate meaningfully with the fans while it has been going on."

In fact, the club have already admitted that it will probably cost them even more to replace Hendry than the hefty fee they have picked up for him from Glasgow. That's if they can find a suitable replacement quickly.

Hodgson said while the Hendry situation was in deadlock that it remained to be seen whether he could replace a player of the defender's calibre from within his first team squad.

Until he signs a new man, that will have to be the case.

Hendry's departure leaves Hodgson with four senior central defenders in Stephane Henchoz, Darren Peacock, Marlon Broomes and Tore Pedersen, the Norwegian being injured at the moment.

Of those, Broomes does not have much experience at Premiership level, while it had been thought that Pedersen might leave Ewood this summer.

He was keen to see his career progress and, possibly, fight his way back into the Norwegian national squad.

But the lack of regular first team football with Rovers has been holding him back.

Hodgson accepts that Pedersen will not be fit for the start of the season but should be available before too long.

And the manager stresses there will not be any panic.

"What I have seen of Peacock and Broomes has been encouraging and we all know about Henchoz," he said.

"Tore Pedersen will be fit not long after the start of the season."

None of the players currently in contention, however, are the same kind of dominant figure as Hendry.

They need someone to command the penalty area as he did for so long.

Rovers have sold nearly 6,000 advance tickets for Friday's game against PSV Eindhoven at Ewood.

Prices are £10 (concessions £5) and fans are being encouraged to buy in advance.

Seats are available up to kick-off time (8pm) but the club are anxious to avoid congestion or delays at the ticket office.

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