Rangers ‘desperate’ to tie down Jack Wylie with professional contract amid Manchester United raid
Rangers have to wait until August to sign Jack Wylie professionally, but by then the academy star could have an offer waiting from Manchester United according to Glasgow Times.
Gers have invested in youth over the last 12 months, and Wylie has emerged as one of the club’s most promising academy stars.
However, the 15-year-old can’t sign professionally with Gers until August when he turns 16. But when his birthday rolls around, Wylie may have already been snapped up elsewhere.
That’s because, according to the Glasgow Times, Manchester United will have an offer prepared for the youngster after Erik ten Hag improved the Red Devils’ scouting network in Scotland.
The report adds: “Rangers are desperate to tie down Wyllie to a contract when he turns 16 in August, but are aware of United’s interest in the defender.”
Should United pip Rangers to Wylie’s signature, the Red Devils will be forced to pay £120,000 due to the cross-border compensation rules.
Hijacked
It seems fitting that in the same week the Rangers board emphasised the power struggle and financial disparity in Scotland compared to the Premier League [Daily Record], that one of England’s biggest clubs crossed the border to try and sign a promising young star.
Rangers are aware of their financial inferiority and so have prioritised signing youth players and developing them on the training ground. But still, the club gets muscled out of the way by Premier League clubs.
Hopefully Michael Beale’s record with youngsters and Ross Wilson’s long-term strategy at Ibrox can convince Wylie to ignore the lure of the Premier League and stay put in Glasgow.
However, the money and competition south of the border is often too hard to turn down for many youngsters.
Rangers will no doubt do all they can to convince Wylie that he can become a future star at Ibrox, but Wilson and Beale are up against it when a Premier League giant comes calling.
In other Rangers news, Gers launch a bid to sign Hearts starlet James Wilson by sending an official letter