JOEY BARTON is determined to become the best player in Scotland after Rangers pulled off a stunning swoop to sign the midfielder on a two-year deal.

Barton was named in the Championship Team of the Year as he helped Burnley clinch their top flight return at the first time of asking this season.

Now he has set his sights on taking Scotland by storm as he looks to inspire Warburton’s side to the Premiership crown next term.

Barton said: “You cannot get away from the big hotbeds in football. It’s like if the opportunity came to play for AC Milan or Inter.

"They are not in the greatest periods of their history but you would think: How can I turn that down?

“I think I have got all the skills needed to deal with this. I’ve lived a quite intense period of my life.

“I understand it is going to be intense up here but I think I have finally found a level of maturity that is befitting of my standing within the game. My football is reaping the rewards of that.

“For me, it is not just about Rangers and Celtic. There are some other good sides here and good players.

“They will see me coming to Scotland, and maybe other players who will come north of the border, as an incredible challenge.

“Because if I was up here and saw players coming into the league, I’d think it was a great challenge that could bring everyone on. Competition is incredibly healthy.

“You have to embrace that. It’s a tough industry, a comply-or-die industry. If you are not ready for the challenge then you don’t deserve to pull on a jersey.

“I’m ready for it. I can’t wait to go away next week and start my pre-season programme, ready to hit the ground running.

“I feel I was the best midfielder in the Championship last year. I think my performances over 46 games proved that.

“There are some good players up here. But I’m not coming up here to be another player. I’m coming up here to be the best player in the country.”

The deal to bring Barton to Ibrox was agreed just hours after Celtic unveiled former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers as their new manager.

There is a real excitement about what the campaign hold as the Old Firm battle it out once again and Barton is determined to play his part in the Gers’ success.

He said: “It’s great for Scottish football at the minute because with Brendan going to Celtic it’s hopefully the start of Scottish football getting back to where it’s been for decades.

“I always keep thinking, all the players who have played down south, players at Everton, who I am a fan of, and Liverpool over the water and in the north-west the hot-bed of football, you’ve got iconic Scottish players running through the DNA of all those football clubs.

“You wonder where they have all gone, they’ve got to be up here.

“To get up here and get to a side that’s got a huge catchment and some of the most exciting young players in Scottish football and an exciting young manager.

“As a football man to say you’ve played for Glasgow Rangers and to say you’ve competed and put trophies on the board and added to the legacy in some small way of what this great is and will continue to be, was an opportunity I couldn’t pass.”