Matt Crooks, a former midfielder for the Rangers, has almost seven years since leaving Ibrox to seal a “significant” move to Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.
The addition of seasoned players like Joey Barton, Niko Kranjcar, Philippe Senderos, and Clint Hill didn’t exactly pay off.
In addition, Rangers attempted to sign younger players from England. Joe Dodoo and Jordan Rossiter arrived to Ibrox with much anticipation but unfortunately failed to live up to expectations.
Some fans were not impressed by the raid on Accrington Stanley for two players; Matt Crooks had a forgettable stint at Ibrox, and Josh Windass turned out to be a recent addition.
Matt Crooks, a former Rangers talent, gets an MLS transfer.
Crooks and Windass signed a pre-contract deal with Rangers after Crooks demonstrated great promise at Accrington.
The 6′ 4″ midfielder demonstrated his ability to score goals from midfield, and Rangers signed him with the hope that Warburton would bring out the best in him.
That did not occur; Crooks was transferred to Northampton Town after being loaned to Scunthorpe United and only made three appearances for Rangers.
After scoring 10 goals in 57 games to secure a promotion to the Championship, Crooks began to get back on track with the Cobblers, scoring 21 goals in 97 games for Rotherham United.
Just four years after Rangers let him go for a pitiful £100,000, Middlesbrough forked over £1.1 million to sign Crooks in 2021.
Crooks has persisted in finding the goal for Boro, but at thirty years old, he has made the decision to take a major risk.
Real Salt Lake, a Major League Soccer team, has officially announced Crooks’ signing. Crooks’ contract is valid through the 2026 MLS season.
Going forward, Crooks is thought to be a player who can aid Real Salt Lake in their MLS playoff run, and rumors originating from the North East indicate that Boro will be paid a “significant” sum.
After a tough stint with the Rangers, Crooks has truly recovered, and his huge move to the States will put him in the company of players like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. Not bad for a player the Rangers hardly utilized.