Rangers & Celtic want to sign London-born centre-forward, can move on Bosman deal – report
Rangers and Celtic are both interested in signing Wigan and Scotland Under-19 centre-forward Kyle Joseph, according to the Mirror.
The newspaper reported via their live transfer blog on Tuesday [2:11pm] that Tottenham and Sheffield United are also keen on the London-born 19-year-old, who’s “burst onto the scene” in England’s League One with Wigan.
Joseph’s contract at the DW Stadium expires in the summer so he’ll be up for grabs on a Bosman transfer at the end of the season. It is understood Wigan have offered him a new deal in the meantime but Old Firm rivals Rangers and Celtic can offer him a pre-contract deal this month.
On fire and up for grabs
Joseph has hit the ground running in a breakthrough season at Wigan.
He only made his senior debut for the Latics in October but has been used regularly in League One, playing 11 times and scoring four goals in the process.
The England-born Scotland youth international netted a superb hat-trick in Wigan’s 4-3 win against Burton last month. A few weeks before that he scored the only goal of the game as the Latics beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Sure, Joseph is playing in League One but if he’s scoring hat-tricks and netting against some of the stronger teams in that division, who’s to say he couldn’t make it at a top Scottish club in the future?
Based on this report by the Mirror, Joseph is up for grabs and could be a very astute signing at Ibrox if the Light Blues can stave off competition from Celtic, Spurs and Sheffield United.
It remains to be seen which could he’d see as a better opportunity for him but the Blades are heading towards the English Championship and Sheffield isn’t a million miles away from Wigan.
Spurs hand him a chance to go back to his birthplace London and are definitely the best-placed team financially.
Rangers, though, are flying in Scotland and could qualify for the Champions League so who knows how this transfer saga will end?
In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart wants a rule change to suit his anti-Rangers agenda after a baffling rant on BBC.