Sunderland goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin has opted to move away from the Stadium of Light, linking up with Rangers on a two-year deal.

McLaughlin has been with Sunderland since the summer of 2018 and has made 90 appearances for the club over two seasons. Those two campaigns have come in League One and, on the back of two failed pushes for promotion back to the Championship, The Black Cats are facing another in English football’s third-tier.

And, with his deal there running down, McLaughlin has opted for a return to Scotland, penning a two-year contract with Steve Gerrard’s men at Ibrox.

Quiz: The tricky 8-question Sunderland trivia quiz: Can you get 8/8?

The 32-year-old’s earlier career saw him play for Bradford City and Burton Albion, where he passed 100 appearances for both. From there, he moved North of the border to Hearts, where he spent the 2017/18 season before linking up with Jack Ross in Sunderland.

McLaughlin played a part as Sunderland reached the play-off final last term, but Charlton Athletic beat them. This season, in a heavily disrupted campaign that’s eventually been curtailed, Phil Parkinson’s side have missed out on the top-six and a chance to play-off for a place back in the Championship.

The Verdict  

This is a good move for McLaughlin, particularly when you consider where he has come from in the English game.

Sunderland are facing another year in League One, but Rangers are offering him a deal at the top of Scottish football with a massive club.

You can’t deny him the opportunity after two years trying to get Sunderland back on the rise.

Thoughts? Let us know!