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Rangers launch bid to sign Hearts starlet James Wilson, Jambos powerless
Rangers have made their first steps towards signing Hearts starlet James Wilson when the January transfer window opens, according to the Daily Record.
Officials at Ibrox have already sent a letter to Tyencastle instructing the Jam Tarts of their intent to sign the 15-year-old when he turns 16 in January and can then sign professional terms.
With new compensation laws in the game, Hearts are thought to be powerless to stop Wilson leaving Edinburgh for Glasgow should Rangers push through with their interest.
Despite that, the Jambos have given permission to the Light Blues to talk to Wilson about signing professionally at Ibrox after he broke into the club’s Under-18s side this season.
He is already a Scottish Under-16 international too and would join a growing list of local, Scottish talent at Auchenhowie as the club’s youth recruitment drive continues.
Unfair
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It’s almost not fair for clubs like Hearts and other Premiership sides that Rangers can waltz in whenever they like and sign a player without any compensation or ability to stop it.
It isn’t the fault of the Bears, though, who are only taking advantage of the rules set in place as any club would try to do and they have their own targets to achieve in the meantime.
The Rangers B team and Under-18s side are very quickly becoming one of the best in not only Scotland but the British isles and success on the continent has to be close if the upward trend carries on.
It was a tough UEFA Youth League campaign for the teenagers but a lot was learnt and they now sit top of the Lowland League by a considerable margin.
The better the academy can be at bringing players up to first-team standard, the less reliance has to be put on transfers each window with Michael Beale having a deep number of talents in every area.
In other Rangers news, Beale could make this international playing in the MLS his first January recruit as he becomes free on 31 December.