Wales' Rowe leaves Rangers to be 'closer to home'

Midfielder Rachel Rowe made her Wales debut in 2015

Wales midfielder Rachel Rowe is leaving Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL) side Rangers to be closer to home.

Rowe, 31, joined the Glasgow club last summer from Reading and has won two Scottish cups as well as being named the PFA's SWPL1 player of the year.

In May she told BBC Sport Wales her season in Scotland was "definitely my favourite one in my playing career."

However, she now says she wants more balance in her life.

“I hold my loved ones very close to my heart and it is what brings me ultimate happiness," Rowe told Rangers club media.

"This past season was amazing, but there was something missing and it was them. Moving closer to home will give me more balance and that’s what I value the most."

There has been no indication of which club she will join for 2024-25.

Rowe has scored eight goals in 66 caps for Wales, including three earlier this year in manager Rhian Wilkinson's first two games in charge.

A product of Swansea’s youth academy, she began her senior professional career with Cardiff and was part of the team that won the Welsh Premier Women's Football League in 2013.

Rowe joined Reading in February 2015 on a part-time basis before agreeing full-time terms in December that year following the club's promotion to the FA Women's Super League (WSL), going on to make more than 100 appearances for the Royals.

Following Reading's relegation from the WSL at the end of last season she moved north of the border, with former team-mate Jo Potter the manager at Rangers.

“Jo put a lot of faith in me bringing me up here and I am grateful for the opportunity to play in front of such fantastic fans during my time in Scotland," Rowe said.

“I would like to thank my teammates for helping me be part of a side that lifted a cup double, and I will be supporting the club and the girls from afar and wish them all the very best for the future.”