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BOUGHERRA WAS CLOSE TO BAGGIES MOVE
Bougherra - joined Rangers last week.
Madjid Bougherra has revealed how he was seconds away from signing for West Brom before Rangers manager Walter Smith made a dramatic last-gasp swoop.
The Algeria international, 25, was all set to finalise a deal with the Baggies but the transfer was put on hold because chairman Jeremy Peace was not available to rubber-stamp the move.
The delay allowed Rangers to make a late bid and Bougherra admits the prospect of playing in Europe convinced him to turn his back on the English top flight and move to Ibrox in a four-year deal worth £2.5million.
He explained: "At first I wanted to stay in the Premier League and I had the pen in my hand to sign.
"Then, at the last minute, they said that the chairman wasn't here and I had to wait. So I said, okay, I would come back tomorrow.
"Then the gaffer called me up about Rangers and spoke very well with me and I chose Rangers. It was very difficult to leave England but I think this was a good choice.
"I know it's a big club, last year they won two trophies. It's a dream to come to Rangers because they play in Europe every year.
"It's the ambition of every player to play in the Champions League or the UEFA Cup, which is why I came here."
The former Charlton man insists there are no hard feelings between himself and West Brom boss Tony Mowbray.
He added: "He contacted me and spoke very well. After I signed for Rangers he wished me good luck.
"He is a very good gaffer and it was a good conversation."
Bougherra can play in both defence and midfield and his versatility was one of the reasons Smith was keen to land him.
The player himself prefers to play at centre-half but with strong competition for places in that area, he concedes that establishing himself as a regular will not easy.
He said: "When you come into a team you can't say, 'I'm going to play every week.'
"They have good players so you have to prove yourself in training and give the gaffer a choice. I'll come here and do my best to play every week."
Bougherra's capture on Thursday night was too late for him to feature in the Champions League second qualifying round tie against FBK Kaunas, the second leg of which takes place in Lithuania on Tuesday following a goalless draw at Ibrox.
He will instead focus on Rangers' Clydesdale Bank Premier League opener at Falkirk on Saturday, when he hopes to make his debut after being named as an unused substitute in Saturday's 4-0 friendly defeat by Liverpool.
He said: "We have the first game on Saturday and it will be my first game for Rangers.
"I'll have to train on my own on Monday and Tuesday because the team will be away. So I will just concentrate on this game."
