Report: Former Rangers star set for SPFL return and reunion with ex-Ibrox teammate

Former Rangers defender David Bates is set to make a return to Scottish football, according to a report, after agreeing a three-year deal with Aberdeen.

According to the Daily Record, Bates will move to Pittodrie after falling completely out of favour with HSV, where he will be reunited with former Rangers teammate Ross McCrorie.

Bates left Rangers to join the German side in 2018 but has spent the last two seasons on loan with Sheffield Wednesday and Circle Brugge.

The 24-year-old has won four caps for Scotland since leaving Rangers and he’ll be hoping his return to Scottish football under Stephen Glass at Aberdeen will help revive his Scotland career.

The new Dons boss has brought in a number of new players to Pittodrie this summer, including Scott Brown and Christian Ramirez as he looks to secure third place in the Premiership.

Bates had been linked with a bizarre return to Ibrox earlier in the summer but with Rangers hardly short of options at centre-back it was never a goer.

The centre-back started his career at Raith Rovers before a surprise move to Ibrox under Mark Warburton.

An injury crisis at Ibrox thrust the defender into the first-team at Rangers where he quickly won over fans and earned the nickname ‘the Ginger Ramos’.

Bates would make 28 first-team appearances before rejecting the offer of a new contract and leaving the club, going on to make 28 appearances for Hamburg as well.

Last season, Bates played his football in Belgium for Cercle Brugge, turning out 21 times.

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