JOEY Barton has described his decision to leave Burnley as 'the toughest of his professional life' as he prepares to sign a two-year deal with Rangers.

The midfielder, voted the fans' player of the year as the Clarets won the Championship title, has decided to end his one-year stay at Turf Moor.

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He has told Rangers, returning to the Scottish Premiership next season, that he will sign with them instead, and he is due in Glasgow today to undergo a medical.

Barton has taken to Twitter to thank Burnley fans for their support over the past season.

After the Clarets won promotion against Queens Park Rangers Barton had indicated he wanted to stay on at Turf Moor, but wanted longer than the one-year deal that was on the table.

Instead the Gers pounced and Barton visited their Murray Park training ground a week last Saturday and met boss Mark Warburton and head of recruitment Frank McParland, who was instrumental in bringing Barton to Burnley a year ago.

Warburton is keen to make Barton the fulcrum of his midfield as they return to the top flight in Scotland, and the abscence of European football, after their 3-2 defeat to Hibernian in Saturday's Scottish Cup final, hasn't put Barton off.