Why £3.5m Rangers ace sought fresh start abroad as shock Ibrox transfer exit after just one season explained

Thelo Aasgaard has explained his decision to leave Rangers after just one season, revealing he felt the time was right for a fresh challenge in his career.

The Norway international completed a season-long loan move to Belgian outfit Anderlecht on the penultimate day of the summer transfer window, bringing an end to his spell at Ibrox after 12 months.

The agreement includes an option for the Belgian’s to make the transfer permanent next summer, with the fee reportedly set at around £6 million. Aasgaard is due to have two years remaining on his Light Blues contract when his temporary spell concludes.

The move came as a surprise to many supporters, particularly given its timing. The 24-year-old had travelled with Derek McInnes' squad for Rangers' away Premiership fixture against Falkirk before making a hasty departure to finalise his switch to Belgium.

Aasgaard has now shed light on the thinking behind his decision, detailing that Anderlecht's playing style and the opportunity to test himself in a different footballing environment abroad played a major factor in his choice.

Speaking to the club's television channel, he said: “There is so much that attracted me to this club. It is not just the size of the club. But the style of play and everything else about it was really attractive to me. And yes, I think I needed a change at this point in my career. And I am really happy to be here.

“The time had come to take a new turn in my career. I wanted to show off my technical ability in another country. I learned the physical side of the game in England, particularly because I wasn’t the tallest in youth football and had to battle against bigger lads.”

Exciting Rangers prospect makes injury comeback

Meanwhile, exciting Rangers prospect Ashton Scally has taken an important step in his comeback after making his first appearance of the season following an injury lay-off.

The 16-year-old was involved in Tuesday evening's KDM Evolution Trophy clash against Peterhead, with the Light Blues suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat.

Scally's return will be a welcome boost for Rangers, who moved quickly earlier this year to secure the highly-rated youngster’s future despite attracting considerable interest from some of the biggest clubs in English football.

Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur were among the Premier League sides reportedly keen on the teenager, but Rangers managed to convince him to commit his future to Ibrox by signing his first professional contract, which runs until 2029.

Keeping hold of Scotland's brightest young prospects has become increasingly challenging for domestic clubs since Brexit, with changes to recruitment rules prompting English sides to explore opportunities north of the border.

However, Rangers succeeded in fending off that competition to retain Scally, who is regarded as one of the club's most exciting emerging talents. He has already had opportunities to impress at senior level, having been invited to join Rangers' training camp in Spain last term.

After spending a period on the sidelines, the Scotland youth international will now be eager to regain his rhythm and make up for lost time over the coming weeks as he looks to demonstrate why Rangers were so determined to keep him out of the clutches of their English rivals.

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