The player does not have a work permit so won’t be able to play him in any of Rangers’ friendly matches – against Clyde at Broadwood on Wednesday or Newcastle United at Ibrox on Saturday – but he impressed Ally McCoist, who saw him play at the World Cup finals, and Smith wants to see more of him.
The 25-year-old currently plays for Deportivo Motagua in his homeland and came on as a substitute in all three of his country’s World Cup matches. He has scored three times in 17 appearances for Honduras.
After Rangers’ defeat to AEK Athens in the last game of their trip to Sydney, Smith confirmed: “Georgie Welcome will be coming to join us next week on trial.
“We can’t play him in the games because of the work permit situation but we can look at him in training. We will see what happens and then take it from there.”
Available for around £600,000, Welcome, who will now miss his team’s CONCACAF Champions League game Toronto this week, said: “I am very happy and excited. I know that things will work out. My colleagues are supporting me and are very happy. My goal is to stay with Rangers.
“Ramon Maradiaga [Motagua’s coach] told me to strive and take advantage of this great opportunity. I am going to give everything because he wants to see me succeed abroad and not return to Motagua.
“I have waited a long time for this moment and I will fight to fulfil my dream. I go prepared to prove my ability and will train for a few days as a trialist. I will work hard to earn a place in the Rangers squad.”
