Dundee United: Brian Graham signs as Jon Daly exits

Dundee United have completed the signing of Brian Graham from Raith Rovers, with fellow striker Jon Daly to exit Tannadice for Rangers.

Graham was paraded at half-time during United's final game of the season - a 4-0 defeat at home to champions Celtic.

That came shortly after manager Jackie McNamara revealed that captain Daly, 30, would be playing his last game for the Scottish Premier League club.

The 25-year-old Graham has signed a two-year contract at Tannadice.

McNamara knows Graham well as an opponent, having been manager of the Kirkcaldy side's First Division rivals, Partick Thistle, until succeeding Peter Houston at Tannadice in January.

"With the departure of big Jon it was important to get someone similar in terms of stature," the United boss told BBC Scotland.

"Hopefully, he can be as good a signing as Jon was for the club.

"We have players that can create chances for him and he has shown in the First Division that he is a real threat."

The Glasgow-born striker, who has scored 27 goals in 41 games this season, joined Rovers in 2011 after leaving another Division One outfit, Morton, where he had spent his early career apart from a loan spell with East Stirlingshire.

Former Republic of Ireland Under-21 striker Daly's five-year spell at Tannadice will come to an end after he made his 202nd appearance for United.

The 30-year-old, who at times has also deputised in central defence, has scored 72 goals, 15 of them in 44 appearances this term.

Daly, who also played for Stockport County, Bury and Grimsby Town, arrived at Tannadice for an undisclosed fee from Hartlepool United and is close to finalising a two-year deal at Ibrox.

There is uncertainty about the future of two other United strikers.

Johnny Russell, the subject of failed bids this season from Italian outfit Catania, has said he would like to move overseas should United decide to sell him before the end of his contract.

Rory Boulding, who signed in March after being released by Kilmarnock, has been hoping to impress McNamara but has scored only once in 13 appearances.