Scouting expert: Leon King destined to leave Rangers in long term
Rangers startlet Leon King is “unlikely to stay in the Scottish league” amid recent transfer interest, but Dave Azzopardi insists there is no rush for him to leave.
The young defender has been linked with a move to the Premier League after breaking into the side at Ibrox recently, with Manchester United and Leeds linked with a transfer by the reliable Fabrizio Romano [10 October].
But after only recently becoming a regular fixture in the senior side under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Azzopardi – who is a researcher for Football Manager and has worked with the BBC and Premier League – thinks it’s fantastic that he’s getting opportunities and he should look to cement himself in the team before looking for a move away.
“It’s often now, I know people joke about the Scottish league, but they still produce, every couple of years, really good, quality talent,” he told The Football Wonderkids.
“I think it’s fantastic that we’ve got an 18 year old playing regularly both in the league and in European competitions, I know Rangers are struggling a bit right now though.
“I think he played a part in that heavy defeat to Liverpool which of course isn’t great, but I think for him as a young player, for him to experience that, that’s what he’s going to have to get used to in men’s football.
“I think he’s got to solidify his place in that Rangers team. I wouldn’t be in a rush to move away from Scotland for another year or two. Get that experience behind him, grow more as a player both physically and mentally.
“A little bit like Kieran Tierney did. He was spoken about for a couple of years before he moved to Arsenal, but got that experience first and then looked elsewhere.
“Long term if he carried on playing and progressing at the rate he is, it’s unlikely that he’d stay in the Scottish league anyway. But I think definitely for the next year or two he’d be wise to stay in Scotland. There’s no rush for him.”