Ethan Sutherland is not a name we expect too many Rangers fans to be familiar with.
After all, it’s not every day a 17-year-old left-winger currently plying his trade out on loan with Alloa Athletic would make headlines.
But amid links to some of British football’s biggest clubs, the story of Ethan Sutherland – who was released by Rangers as a 16-year-old – is certainly a familiar one.
Contracted to St Mirren for another season beyond this, the youngster’s form at the promotion-chasing Wasps is turning heads and he could well be another one that got away for the Ibrox side.
Ethan Sutherland tailed by Man City & Chelsea
At least that’s according to the Daily Record, who claim Ethan Sutherland is being tailed by the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea south of the border.
The report claims that fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace are also interested, the Eagles having brought Dylan Reid to Selhurst Park last season.
Rangers were strongly linked with a move for the Scotland youth international midfielder before he opted to move down south, a path increasingly well-travelled by young Scottish talent.
Now, Ethan Sutherland could be set to join Reid in the Premier League and Rangers may well live to rue the day they released the winger from the Academy.
Deemed not good enough at Ibrox just under two years ago, could this be yet another failure from the Rangers youth academy to secure a top young talent?
In a breakthrough season, Ethan Sutherland has netted three goals and laid on six assists in Scottish League One this campaign.
Another ‘one that got away’ for Rangers?
Whilst this is only really an issue when players go on to bigger and better things, the age of Ethan Sutherland and proximity of his Rangers release brings the situation into greater focus.
That said, it is not the first time that Rangers have made the wrong call on the career trajectory of one of their youth players.
The examples of players going on to have bumper careers after being surplus to requirements at Rangers are many but two in particular have irked fans in recent seasons.
Kenny McLean – now of Norwich City – was released by Rangers as a schoolboy before going on to establish himself with St Mirren and then Aberdeen.
Lewis Ferguson – who’s just been dealt a devastating injury blow – was also released by Rangers before going on to Serie A success via successful stints with Hamilton and Aberdeen.
If Ethan Sutherland is to be picked up by Pep Guardiola and co, we suspect there might be plenty of headlines in the future about yet another one that got away for Rangers.
