NIKO KRANJCAR is confident he can handle the heat of the Old Firm rivalry after crossing the Croatian divide and becoming a target for supporters in his homeland.

The midfielder put pen-to-paper on a two-year deal with Rangers yesterday and will be a key part of Mark Warburton’s side during the Premiership title fight next term.

The Light Blues will make the trip across Glasgow for the first derby clash in September as Old Firm hostilities are resumed once again.

Read more: Niko Kranjcar targets Premiership title after clinching Rangers switch

But Kranjcar has no fears over what lies ahead this term after his controversial move between two of Croatia’s biggest clubs early in his career.Glasgow Times: New Rangers singing Niko Kranjcar speaks to the media yesterday.

He said: “It will be up there with Dinamo Zagreb v Hajduk Split. That is definitely pretty full on – especially if you move from one to the other and then you go back home!

“I had a couple of flares thrown at me. I couldn’t hear my own thoughts when I had the ball.

Read more: Niko Kranjcar: I want to emulate achievements of Nikica Jelavic and Dado Prso at Rangers

“It was interesting. Thank God it’s over and it’s not going to happen again. It’s good now.

“I still enjoyed my time in Zagreb. It was a situation that was well documented over there at the time.

“The flares missed me by inches. I definitely won’t be intimidated by the atmosphere in the Old Firm game.

“But I am looking forward to it. It is a game that you really look forward to.

“When you have been through what I went through you can handle anything that any game throws up at you.”