On Monday evening, Rangers announced the departure of Andrew Dallas via the Gers Youth Academy Twitter account.
A brief statement was also issued on the club’s website. It confirmed that the 20-year-old had joined EFL League Two outfit Cambridge United not on loan, but on a permanent deal. The fee involved in the transfer has not been disclosed.
“He departs Ibrox with the best wishes of everyone at Rangers”, concluded the statement.
There had been reports over recent days that Dallas was on the verge of a move [Cambridgeshire Live]. Perhaps the fact that the forward was on trial suggested that a permanent deal was in the offing.
Yet, that doesn’t make it any less of a surprising move on Rangers’ part.
Dallas was a key figure as the Reserves captured the league title last season. In fact, he was the top scorer in the competition with 14.
Those performances saw him make it to the first-team bench on two occasions, as he looked, for a time, like the next in line in terms of the club’s up and coming attackers.
He had been performing well for the development team in pre-season, too. Just ten days ago, he was discussing the benefits a loan move would have for a player in his position [Evening Times].
However, the club have clearly decided he’s less likely than fellow young forwards Josh McPake and Zak Rudden to make the Ibrox grade.
Perhaps it was an unproductive loan spell at Greenock Morton over the second half of last season which sealed his fate.
