By Doug Ward

9th Mar, 2023 | 1:10pm

Rangers agree permanent signing as 'box-to-box' midfielder Callum Burnside to sign three-year contract on Saturday

Linfield sensation Callum Burnside will officially sign for Rangers on a permanent basis in the summer with a three-year deal lined up, according to BelfastLive.

The Northern Irish news outlet reported on 8 Match that Burnside, 16, is due to move from Linfield to Rangers alongside fellow 16-year-old midfielder Blaine McClure.

It is understood that both of them have already had trials with the Gers and between now and the end of the season, they’ll travel between Northern Ireland and Scotland before permanently relocating to Glasgow in the summer transfer window.

Burnside has been described as a “box-to-box midfielder” by Gers youth coach Cameron Campbell [BelfastLive, 28 July] and he’s expected to put pen to paper on a three-year deal at Ibrox this Saturday (11 March).

Welcome to Ibrox

Rangers must be pretty confident in these two youngsters.

Burnside and McClure are both Northern Irish youth internationals who’ve been having trials with the Gers for quite a long time now.

They’ve had a very good look at both of them and Campbell is clearly impressed.

It makes sense to sign them permanently and offer them a proper chance because if they’re located in Glasgow and are training at Auchenhowie daily then they should only get better.

Unfortunately, we’ve not had many Northern Irish talents breaking into the first team in recent years despite links across the Northern Channel with clubs like Linfield.

It’ll be interesting to see if Steven Davis can play a role in guiding the two young midfielders.

While he didn’t come from Northern Ireland directly to Ibrox, he plays in the same position as them and could be given a backroom role at Auchenhowie when his playing contract ends this summer.

In other Rangers news, this Ibrox coach is wanted in England as a managerial merry-go-round begins.