Heavy Scottish presence ensures Thomson will settle quickly at Boro

Thomson has swapped the Champions League for the npower Championship, but his 2m arrival has consolidated Middlesbrough's status as title favourites.

The Scotland midfielder expressed a desire to sign a long-term deal at Ibrox when news of Middlesbrough's interest first emerged in May.

But with debt-hit Rangers not in a position to begin contract talks a year before Thomson's deal was due to expire, both club and player felt a transfer was right.

"It's a new challenge and a fresh start for me," Thomson said. "The Rangers fans were great to me and I'll never forget my three-and-a-half years there.

"I won back-to-back titles, we reached the UEFA Cup final and we picked up a couple of cups along the way too, so it was a successful time.

"Now I'm ready to take a new step in my career. My ambition is to play in the Premier League and I think I can do that with Middlesbrough."

The 25-year-old follows hot on the heels of Scotland team-mates Kris Boyd and Stephen McManus and he admitted the notable presence of his compatriots on Teesside was another factor in his decision.

Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan signed fellow Scotland players Barry Robson and Lee Miller in January along with ex-Parkhead pair Willo Flood and Scott McDonald.

"When you move you have to look at the whole package because you're moving to a new club and you're moving your family too," he said.

"But there are six or seven Scots down here already and there are so many of them who I know, while the manager knows pretty much what I'm all about.

"All that, together with the challenge of helping the club win promotion, meant the whole package felt right."

Thomson briefly worked under Strachan as a teenager at Coventry.