Soccer-Scotland defender Hutton signs for Tottenham

Scotland international defender Alan Hutton has joined Premier League Tottenham Hotspur from Rangers in a four-year deal, the clubs said.

The 23-year-old right joined Rangers in 2002 and made his international debut against Austria last May.

The player turned down a reported eight million pounds ($15.94 million) move to North London earlier this month, pledging his future to Rangers despite the club having accepted Tottenham's offer.

However Rangers manager Walter Smith told his club Web site (www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk) that he was resigned to losing Hutton, who becomes one of Scotland's most expensive soccer exports.

"The clubs agreed a fee a couple of weeks ago and it was up to Alan to decide what he wanted to do," said Smith, without giving financial details.

"He took his time as he had told me that he was enjoying his football here and he wasn't in too much of a rush to go anywhere.

"But as the weeks have gone on he has decided that it was the right time for him and we wish him well in that respect," added the manager.

The Scot follows hot on the heels of England defender Jonathan Woodgate, who agreed to join Spurs from Middlesbrough on Monday.

Rangers moved quickly to replace Hutton by signing West Ham United's Christian Dailly until the end of the season, the club's Web site confirmed.

Dailly, a versatile defender capped 66 times by Scotland, has been with West Ham for seven years, although he spent part of this season on loan at Southampton.