The long-running transfer saga looked to have come to an end last night when the Rangers announced an agreement had finally been reached with Austrian club Rapid Vienna.

The 24-year-old striker will cost the Light Blues around £4million and will join Slovakia international Vladimir Weiss, who signed yesterday for the Scottish champions on a one-year loan deal from Manchester City.

Light Blues boss Walter Smith made his first cash signing in two years last week when former England striker James Beattie arrived from Stoke for an undisclosed fee.

Last night Ibrox chief executive Martin Bain, who has worked tirelessly on the Jelavic deal, told the club's official website, www.rangers.co.uk:

"We have agreed a fee with Rapid for Nikica Jelavic and we have also agreed personal terms in principle.

"He will arrive tomorrow when we will hope to complete these and when he will also undergo a medical."

Weiss revealed the lure of Champions League football convinced him to choose Rangers over Celtic and other suitors.

The highly-rated 20-year-old arrived in Glasgow yesterday to complete the move, having also been linked with Old Firm rivals Celtic, Stuttgart and Sampdoria.

Weiss is now set to go straight into the squad for Sunday's Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Hibernian at Easter Road.

Weiss told Rangers TV: "As soon as I got this offer I was really interested.

"I had a few offers, including from Italy and Germany, and then the offer from Rangers came and to play for a big team like this will be a pleasure for me.

"I aim to do my best and hopefully we will have a good season.

"Celtic came in for me first but then Rangers came in and when I looked through all of the offers that I had, I picked Rangers.

"The fact that Rangers are in the Champions League was obviously a big incentive for me.

"Every player wants to play in the Champions League so it's a great opportunity for me.

"I hope we get an interesting group and that we do really well."

Easter Road may have been the scene of Rangers' title triumph last term but goalkeeper Allan McGregor is under no illusions about the challenge Hibs, who opened with a win against Motherwell, will pose.

"It's always hard going to Easter Road and it'll be a tough game for us after they got a good result at Motherwell on Sunday," he told Rangers News.

"We want to be successful again this season and it's games such as these ones this weekend that we need to win if we're to do that.

"As long as we come out on top again this weekend, I'm not really bothered how we do it and if that's what it takes then so be it."