Rangers have struck a deal with Premier League giants Manchester City over the exit of young striker talent Dire Mebude.
According to the Glasgow Times, Mebude has finalised the move which will see him transfer to the Etihad Campus as he looks to make an impression down south.
Rangers will receive a fee for the sale of Mebude – although it is not clear how much – and may well receive greater financial reward later down the line due to a number of clauses which have been inserted into the deal.
The brother of fellow Rangers Academy graduate Dapo – who has already made his debut for the Ibrox top team – Dire goes with the best wishes of Academy boss Craig Mullholland.
“We wish Dire well at Manchester City,” said Mullholland.
“Ross and I will take the decision to trade players out when we believe a deal represents value for Rangers and fits in with the overall planning that we have in mind for of our squads.
“That is the case with Dire and he leaves with our best wishes.
“This summer we have recruited Tony Weston from Blackpool, who was much sought-after in the EPL having made his Blackpool debut in the FA Cup at only 16; we have recruited James Graham from Ross County who has been involved with the national team and, like Charlie Lindsay who joined us from Glentoran, had many options.
“The combined spend to recruit these three exciting talents was less than the fee we will receive from Manchester City which is significantly greater than mandatory compensation figures.
“With the potential changes to the FIFA regulations on the transfer of minors, the impact of the UK leaving the EU and the changing role of intermediaries, Ross and I have a clear view on how we will manage our player contracts, player development and how our player trading will evolve.
“Moving forward the work of our recruitment team will ensure that we are at the forefront of the market for incoming talent while we will maximise the fees we receive for players we decide to move in the other direction.
“It has been an excellent window so far and in terms of assets and potential, we are in a stronger place now than we were at the opening of the window.”
Mebude, 16, is a young forward of Nigerian descent with a bright future in the game and everyone at the club will extend their best wishes to the player going forward.
The lure of a Premier League academy is often too much for young Scottish talents and the Gers deserve credit for negotiating a structured deal for the player.
Dire’s older brother Dapo is considered one of the most promising talents at Ibrox and broke through into the first team away to Kilmarnock at the end of the season before last.
The 19-year-old forward will be hoping for more first-team opportunities this season as he looks to further establish himself in the Rangers team
