AMSTERDAM — Örebro midfield ace Alejandro Bedoya has been granted a UK work permit, clearing the way for him to complete a free-agent winter move to Scottish champs Rangers, MLSsoccer.com has learned.

The US attacker did not meet the automatic approval criteria of playing 75 percent of "A" internationals for the team over the last two years, but his appeal case swayed the UK Home Office, which approved him for the permit Friday morning, according to Bedoya's agent, Lyle Yorks.

A source closed to Rangers indicated to MLSsoccer.com that the work-permit approval news could compel the club to step up its bid to bring Bedoya over a little early on an August transfer. Until now, though, Örebro have been holding out for a fee around $1 million with the Light Blues offering only about half that much.

"We'll see," said Yorks. "They are expecting him in January, but if they have the chance to get him sooner, they would like to do that."

Bedoya is currently set to see if he can help Örebro run their Allsvenskan win streak to four games at Djurgården on Sunday, a day after fellow transfer topic Maurice Edu and Rangers visit Inverness.