Exclusive: Rangers to explore deal for Andre Gray after Christmas now Michael Beale has arrived
Rangers are going to monitor the progress of Kinetic Academy defender Andre Gray having given him a trial in October, Ibrox News understands.
The South London-based private academy have started to allow their most promising youngsters to go on trial with clubs across England and Scotland after they were knocked out of the FA Youth Cup to Gillingham of League Two.
Gray has already spent a handful of days at Auchenhowie in an initial trial and Kinetic Academy founder Harry Hudson is hopeful that he will be invited back for further assessment soon.
“He went into Rangers in October, spent four days there and did well,” Hudson said exclusively to Ibrox News correspondent Joe Ellis. “They are going to monitor him further back with us.
“Obviously, they’ve had a lot of change in staff recently so I’m sure some things have been put on hold as a result but we’d like to think he’ll get an opportunity to extend that after Christmas once things have settled down.
“Especially if interest from other clubs comes to fruition and they know he could potentially be going to other places and it might force their hand.”
The Light Blues have a history with the Kinetic Academy having signed B team defender Kevin Ciubotaru from the South London foundation and Joe Aribo also progressed from the system to Charlton Athletic before his Ibrox switch.
The change in manager from Giovanni van Bronckhorst to Michael Beale during the World Cup break could see further pushes for signings at all levels halted briefly as the new man gets his feet under the table.
No news on Gray’s destination may come until after Christmas or even in the new year with Rangers not alone in the race for his signature.
In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart has slammed what he described as an “unsavoury incident” involving Beale prior to his Ibrox appointment.