Former Rangers defender now a free agent after shock departure from Scottish club

Former Rangers and Liverpool defender Danny Wilson has surprisingly left Scottish Championship side Queens Park by mutual consent.

The 32-year-old Gers academy graduate had only agreed to sign for the Spiders in February but now finds himself once again without a club as he searches for a new challenge.

The five-time Scottish international made a total of 11 appearances for Queens Park, with his final appearance coming in a 5-1 defeat to Hibs in the Premier Sports Cup. Shortly after the game, after lengthy discussions with club chiefs, both parties decided that it would be best to end the deal by mutual consent.

Wilson rose to prominence as a teenager at Rangers in 2009 and a string of impressive performances from the youth team earmarked him as one to watch, with David Weir comparing him to a younger version of himself.

The centre back made a total of 14 league appearances for Rangers and scored one goal. This impressive start prompted Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson to sign the defender for a £2m fee with around £3m worth of add-ons based on performance related bonuses.

Wilson played just two times for the Reds and spent most of his time out on loan at Blackpool, Bristol City and Hearts before making a permanent move to Tynecastle.

He impressed in both of his first two seasons at Hearts and earned himself a return to Ibrox in the summer of 2015. Wilson helped the Gers secure promotion back into the top-flight after their financial troubles but fell down the pecking order in the top-flight.

Prior to his move to Queens Park, he had enjoyed a six-year stint in the MLS with Colorado Rapids where he managed a combined total of 138 appearances, whilst establishing himself as a fan favourite in the United States.

Wilson signed an 18 month contract with Queens Park in February but ultimately agreed to leave a year ahead of schedule after an agreement was reached.

A statement from the Queen’s Park club website reads: “Danny came in at a time last season when we were short of experience in defence and helped us come through a challenging time.

“He has now opted to activate the release clause that was put in for mid-July 2024 and we wish him and his family well.”