INJURY CAUSES TAMUDO DEAL TO COLLAPSE

The two clubs had agreed a fee, which would have been a Scottish record at 3,000 million pesetas (£10.51 million) and the player had agreed a five-year contract, the medical was all that was left to complete the signing. 

However, Rangers' own doctors carried the medical out on Saturday morning, which resulted in the Scottish giants pulling the plug on the deal. 

Rangers officials would not indicate exactly why he failed the medical, but it is believed that the player took a knock to his right ankle during the recent Olympic Games in Australia in which Spain won silver in the football.

On hearing the news Espanyol President Daniel Sánchez Llibre did not know whether to laugh or cry. 

He said "Sportingly this is good news as Tamudo is a great player, however economically this is bad news as the transfer fee would have helped the current financial situation of the club." 

He also believed the deal was dead now: "I would say that there is now a 99% chance that Raúl Tamudo will continue at Espanyol."

This is not the first time this has happened to Rangers this season, they recently had agreed terms to sign John Hartson from Wimbledon, but he too failed the medical, yet his form this season has been excellent.

However, Rangers gave hope to the deal, as according to their official website: "Raul was unable to carry out all the necessary tests to conduct the full examination.

"The player has returned to Spain to continue his rehabilitation and it is hoped that this will be done in a relatively short time so that he will be able to return and complete the medical examinations.

"Raul is disappointed but he hopes to return to Glasgow as soon as possible."

Meanwhile Rangers moved to solve their goalkeeping crisis on Saturday by signing Danish keeper Jesper Christiansen from Odense for a reported £1.3 million.

The 22-year-old has agreed a five year contract, according to sources in Denmark, and Dick Advocaat may pitch Christiansen straight into the Champions League clash with Sturm Graz on Wednesday.

The SPL  champions have been given dispensation by UEFA to fix up a keeper after injuries to Stefan Klos and Lionel Charbonnier left the Ibrox side with only teenager Mark Brown able to go between the sticks.

Manchester United and SV Hamburg were both linked with Christiansen, but now Advocaat appears to have beaten them to the punch.