Rangers defender Connor Goldson says he was "lucky" that a heart operation kept him on the sidelines for only two months.

The 25-year-old, who has penned a four-year-deal at Ibrox, underwent surgery last year after a routine screening at Brighton identified a potential problem.

Goldson was out of action for just eight weeks and is thankful it wasn't longer.

Speaking to STV at Rangers' training camp in Spain, he said: "I always get asked to speak about it but I think I was lucky I was out for two months not playing football.

"There's people that do knees and broken legs, touch wood, that are out for a year.

"I think just because it was my heart, a small issue, obviously it's a big thing but it got blown up.

"Just because it's such a minority of operations that not many people get it. But I think there's a lot worse injuries that players could have."

Goldson was part of Brighton's squad chasing promotion to the Premier League in 2017, making eight starts before the heart scare.

He said: "I was having a good career, was at Brighton, was near the top of the league first or second I had just come off the back of two or three starts where we had won every game.

"Then we were going to Huddersfield away and the doctor knocked on my door on a Thursday we were playing on the Friday night and he said you can't be in the squad tomorrow.

"It hit me hard at the time, but once I saw the surgeon he said I'd be back playing football in eight weeks.

"That gave me something positive to look forward to and the mental strength that realistically it's eight weeks without playing football and I coped with it pretty well."

Goldson arrives in Scotland from the English Premier League and is one of six summer signings at Ibrox, with a seventh in the shape of Jon Flanagan on the way.

The defender said he has signed for Steven Gerrard's side as he wants to play regular football after struggling to dislodge Brighton's centre-half pairing.

He added: "I just knew I wanted to play football every single week and there's a chance for me to do that here.

"For me there's no point in being a Premier League player if you're not playing football every week in the Premier League.

"That's not a Premier League player. You're a back-up.

"That's what I was, I was behind two centre-halves, two really good centre-halves.

"Everytime I had my chance I thought I did well but I was getting limited chances and it doesn't matter if I left the Premier League and went to the Championship or wherever you go to, you have to play football every week.

"I'm 25 and that's what I want to do and feel this is the right place to do that."