Newcastle look to swipe Divine Mukasa ahead of Rangers in transfer battle after West Ham United exit
Newcastle are “looking to convince” Divine Mukasa to choose them instead of Rangers after the youngster left West Ham, Mail Plus reports.
The 15-year-old announced his “bittersweet” exit from the Hammers academy last week (6 July) after reported visits to both the Gers and the Magpies [Secret Scout, 5 July].
He is now free to choose his next step and the Saudi-backed Premier League club are currently trying to ensure he moves to the North East of England rather than north of the border to Glasgow.
Simon Jones writes for Mail Plus: “The 15-year-old made a big impact on West Ham’s U18s last season but has left after 10 years in their academy.”
Head to head
It doesn’t sound like there is currently a favourite in this race but both sides will surely be talking up the pathway and prospects at their respective clubs to the youngster.
The glitz of the big spending Premier League club at St. James’ Park will be attractive to plenty of young players, but as their Saudi-backed revolution continues under Eddie Howe the prospects of academy talents breaking into the first team may become more difficult.
Michael Beale has big plans for his own project at Ibrox and both sides can now say they are regularly in the hunt for Champions League football.
Zak Lovelace, 17, made the switch from London to Rangers when he left West Ham’s rivals Millwall last summer, and he has already made his first-team debut, albeit as a very late substitute, in the Old Firm derby against Celtic on 13 May.
Scottish teenager Bailey Rice, 16, is another academy talent who got a taste of senior football for the first time under Beale, so it may be that Mukasa can be convinced the Light Blues is the right move for him.
In other Rangers news, the manager has named one behind the scenes arrival as “one of the biggest bits of recruitment we have done this summer”.