Ross County have made their first move of the summer by signing Rangers midfielder Stephen Kelly on a season-long loan.
Kelly spent last season on loan with Ayr United, winning the club’s young player of the year award after becoming an integral part of an Honest Men side which finished fourth in the Championship.
The 20-year-old made 33 appearances for Ayr, netting six goals, with a Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup defeat away to Wrexham the only match he missed.
On that occasion Kelly was on international duty for Scotland under-21s who he has been capped twice for, while he has also represented his country at under-19 and under-17 level.
Kelly’s switch to Dingwall will give him his first taste of Premiership football, with Staggies manager Stuart Kettlewell moving quickly to bolster his midfield options after the retirement of Don Cowie and departure of Lewis Spence.
Kettlewell is confident Kelly can make a big impact in the top flight after making him his first signing of the summer.
Kettlewell said: “Stephen has some great attributes, and we feel those will complement what we have and help us build our Premiership squad for the upcoming campaign.
“Having spent last season on-loan at Ayr, Stephen has been involved in some really competitive football which we hope will help him in his spell with us.”
Port Glasgow-born Kelly has made just one senior appearance for Rangers, which ironically came as a substitute in a Betfred Cup victory over Ayr in September 2018.
Kelly had come through the youth ranks at Ibrox, where he featured heavily in the club’s games programme against elite English and European opposition.
Kettlewell, who was previously in charge of County’s under-20s side, says Kelly has long been on his radar.
He added: “We have been aware of Stephen for some time and managed to keep a track on his progress.
“He is a young player at only 20 years old, but a player that has been very open in his desire to really push himself and continue to develop and grow, which we hope he can do here in Dingwall.”
