Rangers are reportedly closing in on Millwall talent Zak Lovelace and the 16-year-old striker can look at Ibrox success stories Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey as inspiration.
The Ibrox side reportedly pipped English opposition to all three players and took advantage of cross border compensation rules to attract them up north.
If the Lovelace deal goes through – which all reports suggest it will – then the Millwall kid, who was handed his debut as a 15-year-old, will be the latest to move up north.
And Rangers can point to the success of Nigerian internationals Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey as shining examples of why Ibrox is the best place for the kid’s development.
Look, these deals clearly benefit Rangers.
The Ibrox side get a leg up on sides down south who can be forced to tribunals to pay inflated fees for talented youngsters who’ve been trained at rival clubs.
But because the Scottish league is technically in another jurisdiction Rangers can effectively poach top talent from down south and break hearts in the process. See Lee Bowyer.
Not that it doesn’t happen the other way – as Rory Wilson’s protracted move to Aston Villa proved – with every Rangers move supplemented by a Billy Gilmour.
It’s a karma of sorts and if the Zak Lovelace deal goes through Rangers have rebalanced the loss of Rory Wilson almost immediately.
Rangers proving a positive move for young English talent as Zak Lovelace deal nears
It’s a loophole we will continue to take advantage of and if it goes right – as it has in the cases of Aribo and Bassey – then we stand to cash in.
Ex-Charlton star Joe Aribo could be on his way out of the club given he’s entering the final year of his contract, but Rangers aren’t expected to deal below eight figures.
Much has been made about the progress of ex-Leicester City kid Calvin Bassey, with some touting the 22-year-old at over £25m+ amid interest from the Premier League.
That’s £35m+ worth of assets signed for the sum total of around £500k (Aribo £300k, Bassey £230k).
But it’s not just about flashy transfer fees; these merely stand as evidence of the progress made by both Aribo and Bassey since they turned down mediocre English moves for a spell in Scotland.
Their progress, domestically, in European football and internationally, stands as a testament to the standards expected at Rangers and what players can achieve north of the border.
And we reckon that having witnessed this progress, it will be one of the key reasons why Rangers have pipped the likes of Leciester City to signing Zak Lovelace.
If the young striker can go on to replicate what these two players have done, then it’ll prove a very shrewd piece of business indeed.
Meanwhile, one key Rangers player has been linked to a Premier League outfit as they look to plug a £30m gap in their side.
