Pompey News

Mendes leaves for Rangers

Scottish club Rangers today confirmed the signing of popular Pompey midfielder Pedro Mendes on a three year deal.

The 29 year old player has left Fratton Park for a fee rumoured to be around £3 million and is expected to go straight into action for his new club tomorrow against Hearts.

Mendes said: "It's such a great club and there is the chance to fight for the championship and win cups here.

"When you join a club like Rangers, you can't expect anything but to win things."

The midfielder immediately threw down the gauntlet to Celtic, vowing to end their three-year reign as SPL champions.

He said: "It's time for that to change. Everyone here wants to be champions again and to bring happiness to the fans."

The former Tottenham player also feels his new club will benefit from his four-year experience of the British game.

"That will help," he said. "I know the game in England and the UK already so I'm already used to the British game."

Talking to the Portsmouth Official Site chief Exec Peter Storrie said 'we're sorry to see good players go, particularly one like Pedro.

'He's not one we wanted to move on, but as a club we understand that we have to balance the books and that Pedro wants to be playing regularly.

'Glasgow Rangers are a big club and that was an attraction to Pedro.

'He's a quality player and has been a great servant to the club. It was his goal that started the run that kept us in the Premier League in 2006.'

Redknapp said 'I'll miss Pedro. He was a great player for me and a great person.

'He was probably more responsible than anyone else for keeping us up two seasons ago.'

Personally I'm sorry to see Mendes leave, especially after Muntari has already put a bit of a hole in our midfield. However with the state our finances seem to be in and the fact that fringe players just don't want to leave, and Rangers is a pretty attractive club with European football pretty much guaranteed well apart from this season of course.

Farewell Pedro, you will be missed.

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