Blackpool confirm capture of highly-rated Rangers striker Ryan Hardie

The 22-year-old has signed for an undisclosed fee and has penned a two-year contract with the Seasiders with the option to extend by a further 12 months.

He becomes Pool's sixth summer signing.

“It’s exciting times and I’m looking forward to hopefully pushing the club up the table and seeing how far we can go," Hardie said.

"It’s a new challenge coming down here and it’s obviously going to be different playing conditions, a different way to play and a different style of play.

"I’m looking forward to challenging myself and seeing how I deal with it.”

The 6ft 2ins striker, who watched last night's friendly win at AFC Fylde, had initially been lined up by former boss Terry McPhillips.

However the deal was put on hold once Simon Grayson came on board. Having taken time to assess the current squad and undertake more research on Hardie, the Seasiders decided to go ahead with the deal.

The forward, who came through the youth ranks at Ibrox, made his first-team debut for Rangers in a Scottish League Cup game in 2014.

He has since played 17 times for Rangers, scoring twice for his boyhood club.

However, he has spent most of his early career out on loan with the likes of Raith Rovers, St Mirren and Livingston.

Hardie, who has represented Scotland from Under-16 level right up to the Under-21s, helped Livingston gain promotion from the Scottish Championship in the 2017/18 season and then joined them on loan again last summer.

He scored a combined 15 goals in 40 appearances during his time there.

Blackpool have been desperate for reinforcements in the striking department having scored just 50 league goals last season.

Players contracted for next season: Nick Anderton, Marc Bola, Myles Boney, Yusifu Ceesay, Nathan Delfouneso, Jamie Devitt, Ryan Edwards, Liam Feeney, Armand Gnanduillet, Callum Guy, Ryan Hardie, Mark Howard, Sullay Kaikai, Christoffer Mafoumbi, Michael Nottingham, Harry Pritchard, Rowan Roache, Jay Spearing, Jordan Thompson, Curtis Tilt, Ben Tollitt, Ollie Turton, Matty Virtue, Adi Yussuf