MARK WARBURTON, the Rangers manager, is content with the ongoing negotiations taking place with John Eustace and remains optimistic of securing the services of the veteran midfielder.

Eustace travelled to Glasgow on Tuesday to meet Warburton and visit the Ibrox club's facilities, but returned to England without agreeing a contract.

The 35-year-old is available on a free transfer after being released by Derby County and has been left in no uncertain terms that the Rangers management team see him as a central figure in the rebuilding job that started this week with the signings of Danny Wilson and Rob Kiernan.

"We are making good progress," said Warburton. "It is about both parties coming together and meeting all the relevant points. He is one of those players that are few and far between and has the experience to link it all together.

"Off the pitch, he can add that value and discipline to the squad and lead by example. We are working hard and hope it can all come together."

Warburton admits that he faces a real challenge in putting a new-look side together and getting Rangers out of the Ladbrokes Championship in his debut season, but he has pointed out that he believes the club will return to the Champions League while challenging Celtic for the main domestic honours.

"There is no point coming to a club of this stature and not having those targets in mind," he said in an interview with TalkSport. "I think it is very dangerous for anyone to set specific timescales, but we know what we have to do.

"It is a club with massive expectations and the infrastructure is here. We have to recruit the right squad, get them playing how we want them to play and set our standards very high."