Derek McInnes signs new Aberdeen deal to ward off Rangers interest

Derek McInnes has cooled speculation linking him with the Rangers job by signing a new contract with Premiership runners-up Aberdeen.

Scot McInnes, 43, and his assistant manager Tony Docherty, helped secure League Cup glory with the Dons last year and have committed themselves to Pittodrie until the summer of 2019.

And as Championship side Rangers were reportedly keen to approach McInnes over the current vacancy at Ibrox, Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne admitted he was "delighted" to keep the management team.

Milne said: "I'm sure this news will be as huge a boost to our supporters as it is to me personally.

"Derek and Tony have made tremendous progress in the two years they have been here and I'm absolutely delighted that they want to remain to see through the job that they've started."

McInnes succeeded Craig Brown in March 2013 and guided the north-east outfit to a third-place finish in his first full season in charge before tying up second place behind Celtic at the end of the recently concluded campaign.

The Paisley-born coach said: "I've said all along that I don't want our tenure with Aberdeen to be remembered for having lifted one trophy and that we are looking to have the type of scenes witnessed last March replicated on a regular basis.

"Tony and I are totally committed to bringing as much success as we possibly can to this club and, while we've already achieved some progress, we still have a long way to go.

"This is a great club, with great fans and a fantastic squad of players and I'm looking forward to what promises to be an exciting season ahead.

"The commitment shown by the chairman and the players towards me made this decision very easy to make and that commitment from Tony and myself will be reciprocated."