Daniel Prodan: Rangers signing who never played for first team dies, aged 44

Prodan was in Scotland in 2014 as coach of the Romania Under-17 team

Former Rangers and Romania defender Daniel Prodan has died from a heart attack at the age of 44.

Capped 54 times, he played at the 1994 World Cup and at Euro 96.

Prodan was 26 when he joined Rangers from Atletico Madrid for £2.2m in 1998, but a knee injury prevented him from making a single first-team appearance.

It was later revealed the signing was completed without a medical examination, and Prodan left after two and a half years in Glasgow.

He had won five successive titles with Steaua Bucharest before moving to Madrid, where he spent one season with Atletico.

Prodan took up a sporting director role with the Romanian Football Federation following his retirement at the age of 31.

Former Finland forward Jonatan Johansson was at Rangers at the same time as Prodan and said on Twitter: "So sad and shocked that Daniel Prodan has passed away. Great team mate, such a positive and fun loving person."