Rangers midfielder Jordan Thompson has revealed his “delight” at making a short-term switch to Livingston until the end of the season.
Thompson is out of contract at Ibrox in the summer and is hoping to reignite his career by shining while on loan at the Scottish Championship club.
The midfielder revealed his Rangers teammate Liam Kelly was influential in persuading him to move to West Lothian last week and is looking forward to the opportunity to play regular first-team games.
“I was speaking with Liam and asking him all about the club and I think he was chatting to the coaching staff about me,” Thompson said, as quoted by the Daily Record.
“He said he loved his time at the club and spoke very highly of the place and all the staff.
“He told me that the players were a hard-working bunch and that it would be a good move for me and that I will enjoy being here.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to play regular games so I’m delighted to be a Livingston player for the rest of the season.”
Thompson joined the Scottish giants from Manchester United in 2015 and made his first-team debut against Alloa Athletic in a 4-0 win over the Wasps.
But he has made only three first team appearances for Rangers after being overtaken by Jamie Barjonas and Ross McCrorie in the race for a first-team spot and is out of contract at the club at the end of the season.
The Northern Irishman will be hoping to use his spell with the Championship outfit, who are fifth in the league and level on points with fourth-placed Queen of the South, to win an extended deal at Ibrox or earn a contract elsewhere for next season.
OPINION
Left footed, technically sound and versatile, Thompson can play in a variety of positions, including left-back and left wing-back, but he is mostly likely to be used by promotion hopefuls Livingstone on the left side of central midfield after James Penrice was recalled from his loan by Partick Thistle at the start of the window. Highly rated by Rangers, Thompson has not been able to force his way into the first team as others have leapfrogged him in the pecking order and his career hangs in the balance with his contract up in the summer. But he has pedigree – the Manchester United youth product has been capped by Northern Ireland at Under-21 level – and enough class to make a big impact at Livi. These are key months in his career and the second-tier club will provide the perfect opportunity for him to play regularly and show his parent club, or an alternative employer, what he can do.