Rangers academy star Rory Wilson is reportedly set to sign for Premier League side Aston Villa, with Steven Gerrard already agreeing to personal terms with the 16-year-old prospect.
Fabrizio Romano posted on Twitter that the English side are on the verge of signing Wilson, who last season bagged 49 goals at youth level as Rangers won the Scottish Youth Cup, with the attacker set to join Villa on July 1st once everything is agreed.
Aston Villa are set to sign talented Scottish striker Rory Wilson from Rangers, born in 2006. Personal terms now agreed – Wilson will sign on July 1. 🏴🤝 #AVFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 13, 2022
Steven Gerrard, the main factor in beating off other interest. Wilson scored 49 goals at youth level this season. pic.twitter.com/lywIN5svZL
Wilson is regarded by many as one of Rangers’ most exciting starlets, with Villa beating a number of clubs to the signature of the teenage forward after what was a historic season for the Bears academy talent.
A U-17 international with Scotland, the talented attacker has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past 12 months for both club and country. However, much to the dismay of Rangers, Wilson won’t be staying in Glasgow with Villa now set to sign the forward in the coming days.
Indeed, Wilson could have featured for Rangers next season had the teenager remained at Ibrox, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst a big fan of integrating promising youth prospects into the first-team, a system that has worked wonders at the likes of Feyenoord, where the Dutch manager handed the likes of Tyrell Malacia and Luis Sinisterra their debuts.
With the futures of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos always up in the air, Wilson would have had an extra incentive to remain at Ibrox had either forward left the club this summer.
Rangers should have fought harder to keep Villap-bound Wilson
Fans love nothing more than seeing a talent come up from the ranks to establish themselves as a member of the first team, yet for Rangers and Wilson, this is a story that will not been seen given the forward’s pending move to Villa.
Indeed, it is hard to predict just how good Wilson will develop after signing for Villa, but after an incredible year at youth level, Rangers are making a risky decision not pushing hard enough to keep the striker at the club after his accomplishments in the past 12 months.