Rangers director of recruitment Nils Koppen was clear that the Ibrox side have got to be targeting the best young talent in Scotland.
As part of a 14-point recruitment plan unveiled to Rangers supporters, the Belgian transfer guru stated that the Gers must have an ‘eye for the Scottish market and talents’.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement also said as much whilst waxing lyrical about Connor Barron over the weekend.
The Scotland U21 star joined the Gers from Aberdeen this summer.
But now one Rangers pursuit has ended in tears as one of Scottish football’s brightest youth talents turns down the chance to move to Ibrox.
Rangers miss out on Hamill
As reported by the Athletic, St Johnstone youngster Callan Hamill has turned down the chance to move to Rangers or Celtic.
Now expected to sign a new deal in Perth, the contract will precede what is an ‘expected’ move to Premier League giants Arsenal.
Callan Hamill has been heavily involved in the Arsenal U18s as of late and will be given permission to make approved visits to the Arsenal academy over the next year before making the transfer official at the end of the season.
Hamill – who is a Scotland youth defender – is the latest bright young Scottish talent to snub the Old Firm academies in favour of a move down south.
The proposed transfer also greater benefits St Johnstone, who stood to only bank around £32.5k had Callan Hamill moved to Glasgow.
Should the transfer to Arsenal go ahead as planned the McDiarmid Park club instead stand to bank around £111k in compensation.
The news comes after Rangers were linked to Callan Hamill back in July and now the defender will look to progress between Perth and London.
Arsenal equalise in Rangers youth battle
Such is the changing nature of football, Rangers find themselves routinely competing with clubs south of the border for the best young Scottish talent.
But for every Callan Hamill, Billy Gilmour, or Rory Wilson, there’s an example like Leon King or Alexander Smith, who’ve opted for Rangers.
Rangers actually pipped Arsenal to the signature of Smith earlier in the summer with the lure of first-team opportunities a major pull at Ibrox.
Whilst it’s good to see Rangers being linked to these sorts of academy talents, the proof will be in the pudding at Ibrox as the club look to blood these youngsters into first-team stars.
Rangers are also keeping a close eye on those first-team players in the Scottish Premiership who’ve begun to make inroads into the professional game.
This includes the likes of Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller, who was speaking about his future before the weekend’s clash at Hampden.
