91�ȱ�

Rangers have signed Hearts defender Lee Wallace on a five-year contract after he passed a medical.

The Ibrox club had a £1.5m bid for the 23-year-old Scotland international accepted following previous rejected offers of £300,000 and £1m.

"I'm ambitious and I've come here to try to progress my career," said left-back Wallace.

Meanwhile, American international Alejandro Bedoya has agreed to join Rangers, subject to a work permit.

The 24-year-old midfielder, currently with Swedish club Orebro, will arrive at Ibrox in January.

Wallace made 140 appearances after coming through Hearts' youth ranks and was entering the final year of his Tynecastle contract.

However, injury meant he made only 10 of those club appearances last season despite having been made deputy to captain Marius Zaliukas.

The full-back suffered a cruciate ligament injury playing for Scotland, for whom he has five caps, against Liechtenstein in September and has played only seven times since returning to action in January.

He is eligible to play in Rangers' upcoming Champions League qualifiers with Malmo and could make his Ibrox debut against his former club when the Scottish Premier League begins on Saturday.

"With the fans, I hope there is no hate and that takes care of itself," said Wallace.

"I appreciate everything that was done at Hearts. There were some down points in my career and a lot of people stood by me, the club stood by me and the fans stood by me.

"I've matured and I'm thankful to everyone around Hearts Football Club and I appreciate everything they have done.

"I'm a Rangers player now and I want Rangers to win. It's just tough luck that that's the situation and I just have to get on with it.

"It's great security and great faith that has been put in me. I need to work hard and I need to repay that.

"I'm now at a huge club that's playing European football and who have got winners in the dressing room and I ultimately want to become a winner.

"It's a high level, it's a great club and it's just something that I want to be part of."

, has been Rangers' regular left-back for over four seasons and Wallace knows he faces competition to get into Ally McCoist's team.

"Given the chance, I'll be working hard and hopefully trying to push my way into the team and capture the success," added Wallace.

"These are top players and players I can learn from. Training with these players every day can only benefit me and that's what I'm looking for.

"I'll certainly be working hard to try to progress into the team."

Bedoya's move to Rangers is still some months away as Orebro are still in the middle of their league season.

Capped 13 times, Bedoya moved to Sweden from the American college system.

"We want quality on the pitch, it's our priority right now," said Orebro director Magnus Skoldmark.

"The bid was too small for us to sell him."