Journalist shares why Sunderland won’t want Mason Cotcher to join Rangers as ‘complicated’ issue emerges
Sunderland will be hoping Mason Cotcher decides to join Arsenal instead of Rangers, according to Toby Bryant.
Writing on the Sunderland Echo website on Wednesday (29 November), the journalist said the Black Cats are entitled to a payout when the 17-year-old, who is training with the Gunners’ first team, signs his first professional contract due to their role in his development.
He added that the “complicated” football rulings point to the fact that the Championship side would be entitled to a “different level of compensation” if the England youth international doesn’t sign a deal at the Emirates, with the fee being “significantly less” if he makes the move to Scotland to join the Gers instead.
“The Championship side are entitled to a payout when Cotcher signs his first professional contract thanks to their role in his development,” said Bryant. “The complicated football rulings point to Sunderland also being due a different level of compensation should the Gunners not follow through and have Cotcher sign.
“However, the fee that Sunderland would receive from a cross-border deal, such as one with Rangers would be significantly less than if the academy star stayed in the country and joined an English club.”
First-team opportunities
It appears as though Rangers are currently behind Arsenal in the race to sign Cotcher as he has trained with their first team and played for the U-18s side recently.
He is available to sign his first professional deal after turning 17 at the beginning of September, but it looks like that definitely won’t be with Sunderland.
It will come as a blow to the Black Cats either way as they will no doubt have been hoping one of their brightest young talents would have had a bright future at the Stadium of Light.
Their focus will now be on trying to receive as much as possible for him wherever he does end up and that seems incredibly unlikely if he joins the Gers.
The Light Blues are looking to add more youthfulness and to create a better pathway to their first team under new boss Philippe Clement, so that will no doubt be the message they are trying to get across to the Englishman as they look to persuade him to make the move to Ibrox.
In other Rangers news, a former Celtic man has downplayed the impact of Clement at Ibrox.