High profile Real Madrid links to Rangers youngster Bailey Rice come as the club launches a fresh Ready initiative aimed at unearthing Scotland’s top young talent.
The Gers moved to sign Bailey Rice on his first permanent contract last summer after the Scotland youth international came through at Motherwell.
Since then, the 16-year-old has gone from strength-to-strength, captaining the Scotland U17s and making his first team debut for Rangers away to Livingston earlier in the season.
Now, the kid has been linked to the likes of Real Madrid, Man City and Borussia Dortmund with 90min.com reporting earlier in the week that some of Europe’s top academies are watching his progress.
At the same time, Rangers have just announced the launch of their new Ready concept, which is aimed at scouting and nurturing the best young Scottish talent across the country.
Rangers Ready next Bailey Rice amid Real Madrid links
This, theoretically, would allow Rangers to unearth the next Bailey Rice and bring him to the club even before Motherwell manage to develop them.
The Ready concept will see seven new football centres open across the country, with Rangers aiming to help develop the children’s game in Scotland.
The workshops will be completely free to selected youngsters and the club are introducing a range of innovative programmes to help identify and develop young talent.
Read more about the Ready concept on the club’s official website, with the programme designed to take the pressure off children and to incorporate methods from across the continent.
Rangers have seen their academy already produce in recent seasons, with Nathan Patterson breaking the transfer record in a £16m move to Everton.
Leon King has also been linked with the links of Man United, whilst Alex Lowry, Zak Lovelace and Adam Devine have all broken though into the top team.
With this new programme, Rangers will hope to identify and nurture young talent and perhaps Bailey Rice won’t be the last young Ibrox star being linked with Real Madrid in the years to come.
Meanwhile, Ryan Jack has reacted to his latest Scotland call-up.