Rangers news as midfielder officially agrees Ibrox terms, Nils Koppen reacts
Nils Koppen expressed his delight as Rangers were able to tie down Aiden Crilly to his first professional contract.
While work is underway at Ibrox to secure some arrivals [Sky Sports], the ability to retain their own talent is arguably just as important with Crilly following Jack Caldwell in signing a professional deal on Tuesday (14 January).
Both players were mentioned in a scout update in 2024 showcasing how bright their future is with Koppen, speaking via the Rangers official club site, expressing his delight at the Crilly news.
“We are delighted that Aiden Crilly has committed his future to Rangers,” Koppen said.
“Aiden has been with the academy from a young age, and we’re thrilled to see him continue his journey at Rangers.
“Aiden has shown great potential throughout his time in the academy, and we’re excited to see how he will continue to develop as he makes the step into the full-time environment.
“It’s a proud moment for Aiden, his family, and the club. Our schoolboy programme and staff have played an important role in helping him to reach this stage in his journey, and we all look forward to continuing to support Aiden as he takes the next steps in his career here at Rangers.”
Youth pathway could be crucial at Rangers
While neither of the pair will have any sort of immediate impact at Rangers, they must be shown that there is a clear pathway to the first team going forward.
It is arguably the most important thing for youth setups to prevent their best young talents from being poached and Rangers will no doubt be aware of that.
Without a clear pathway, talent can often be taken for granted and careers can be ruined and given the current situation at Ibrox, the emergence of a new up-and-coming talent would do wonders for the Gers.
That is both financially and in terms of on the pitch. If the Light Blues can develop their own talent, they can have a strong influence in the future while also presenting some huge financial opportunities should they be sold on.
It’s excellent news to see Caldwell and Crilly sign their first pro deals with the club and hopefully, many more are to follow.
In other Rangers news, David Edgar was baffled at one decision made by Philippe Clement.
For more Rangers news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.