Balogun thought agent was joking when he revealed potential Ibrox return

New Rangers recruit Leon Balogun has admitted he thought he was being pranked by his agent when he told of him a return to Ibrox was on the cards.

The 35-year-old Nigeria international defender signed for the Premiership club from QPR earlier this month as he was reunited with Michael Beale for the third time.

The pair worked together during Balogun’s first spell at Rangers and then both ended up at the West London side at the start of last season before Beale made the move north in December.

He revealed on Thursday that he didn’t believe his agent at first but when it became clear the offer was genuine then there was no hesitation in returning.

He said: “When my agent text me, it was quite funny, he said ‘would you consider going somewhere else?’ and I was like well, where, what’s the deal?

“He said ‘Yeah, I’m not sure, it’s a bit of a smaller club’ and I was like how small? What are we talking about?

“My gut feeling told me that he was maybe trying to wind me up. And he goes, ‘only the wee Glasgow Rangers’ and I said no, this is not real, you’re joking.

“He said, ‘No, what do you think?’ I said look, because it was quite late, I’m tired, age is catching up, my eyes are falling down, can’t keep them up, I need to sleep a night on this and if it’s still there then I can believe you.

“As I put my phone down a message still came through and just said ‘It’s real’.

“Then I struggled to fall asleep that night a little bit. Then my decision was made, my instant decision was clear.”

During his first spell in Glasgow Balogun helped Rangers lift the Premiership title for the first time in ten years in 2021 and also lifted their first Scottish Cup in more than a decade the following season.