Rangers' Philippe Senderos eyes improvement and title

Philippe Senderos has signed a one-year contract with Rangers

Philippe Senderos hopes to help Rangers win the Scottish title but knows the Ibrox side have a lot improving to do in order to challenge Celtic.

The 31-year-old signed a one-year contract on transfer deadline day.

"Hopefully play as many games as possible and help Rangers do as well as possible, which is hopefully win the title," he said of his goals.

"We still have a lot to do during the season to be able to talk about fighting for the title."

Rangers, who won the Championship last season, sit second in the table, one point behind their city rivals but having played a game more.

"We know the expectation about this football club is to come first, so we are going to work as hard as we do out on the training pitch, try to replicate it at the weekend and win as many games as possible," said Senderos.

"This is the first season back in the Ladbrokes Premiership. We know the challenge is very big and the road is long.

"There is a lot of quality in this team and I have seen enough."

Joleon Lescott (left) was on Rangers' wanted list along with Philippe Senderos (right)

Senderos is relaxed about the suggestion that he might not have been Rangers' first choice as they sought a new central defender.

A deal for Joleon Lescott from Aston Villa fell through and, as the Englishman eventually joined AEK Athens, Senderos' decision to continue at Ibrox on trial paid off.

"Every club has a lot of targets - one, two, three," said the former Arsenal defender.

"You are aware that they are looking at other people, but I try to focus on the things I can control."

Senderos had himself left Villa Park for Grasshoppers in January after playing only nine times in 18 months with the then Premier League side.

He played 14 times as the Zurich outfit finished fourth in the Swiss Super League, but it was not enough for the 57-times capped defender to secure a place in his national squad for the Euro 2016 finals.

"I try to prove to myself every day and to my team-mates," he said of his determination to play regularly with Rangers. "I am very hungry.

"I want to show every single day that I can do it and be part of this team. If I get picked, I will always give 100%."