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Two of the Premier League’s current top four have reportedly joined the race to sign Glasgow Rangers gem Jack Wylie ahead of the January transfer window.
The Lowdown: Contract troubles
According to Football Insider, the Ibrox outfit are ‘pulling out all the stops’ to keep Wylie, although his age means that they cannot offer him a professional contract until his 16th birthday.
The 15-year-old has ‘caught the eye’ of a number of clubs in the Premier League, but the Gers are ‘rolling out of the red carpet for him’ in a bid to try and persuade him that staying at the club is best for his development.
The Latest: Tottenham and Newcastle join race
As per an update from Football Insider, both Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, two of the English Premier League’s current top four, have now ‘joined the chase’ to sign Wylie.
The defender is in demand after scouts delivered ‘rave reviews’ on his performances for the Light Blues’ youth teams, and also for Scotland at U16 level.
Manchester United, Arsenal and Leeds United have also ‘registered their interest’ in Wylie ahead of the January window, while the Magpies and Spurs are ‘in dialogue’ with his camp.
The Teddy Bears do not want to lose any more of their young stars, after Billy Gilmour signed for Chelsea and Rory Wilson went to Aston Villa in recent years.
The Verdict: Another inevitable blow
Unfortunately for Michael Beale’s side, the attraction of a move to the Premier League has proven too much for the likes of Gilmour and Wilson, and so Wylie is likely to follow suit.
Hailed as a ‘top talent’ and a ‘wonderkid’ by transfer expert and Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano, the teenager certainly has a bright future ahead of him, but that future looks set to be in English football rather than in Scotland.
It is a shame, because he could have worked his way through the Gers academy and into the first team, but with the January window fast approaching, it seems unlikely that they will be able to keep hold of him.
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