Report: Rangers may now face battle with Spurs in race for 18-year-old

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Rangers may now face a major battle with Tottenham Hotspur in the race for Southampton talent Thierry Small.

The Gers pounced for a new left back last summer as Ridvan Yilmaz arrived from Besiktas.

The Turkish ace endured a difficult campaign but showed his potential towards the end of the season.

There is real hope that Yilmaz will kick on but there are also some doubts about Borna Barisic’s future.

The Croatian has just one year left on his contract and Rangers may be tempted to sell the 30-year-old if an offer comes in.

If Rangers do offload Barisic, another left back will be needed to compete with Yilmaz – and Small is thought to be a target.

Football Insider reported in May that Rangers were eyeing up a move to sign Southampton talent Small.

The 18-year-old joined Southampton from Everton in 2021 but is yet to emerge into the Saints first team.

Small spent the second half of this season on loan at St Mirren and has seemingly put himself on the radar at Ibrox.

Yet if Rangers want to land Small this summer, they may end up needing to fight Tottenham Hotspur and Ange Postecoglou…

Tottenham Hotspur back in the hunt for Thierry Small

Spurs have been interested in signing Small for months now.

The Athletic (31/01, 15:00) reported that Tottenham had been in talks with Southampton over a deal to sign Small permanently on January deadline day.

That move didn’t happen though and the Saints decided to send Small on loan to St Mirren instead.

Football Insider now claim that Tottenham are back in for Small and hope to get a deal over the line this time around.

Spurs offered £800,000 in January, just £400,000 short of Southampton’s £1.2million asking price.

That may fit into the Rangers budget but beating a big Premier League club won’t be easy.

There is also the Ange Postecoglou factor to consider too; The Athletic report that he is on the verge of becoming the new Tottenham boss.

Postecoglou could now take on Rangers in the race for Small, who may need to decide between a top Premier League move with Spurs or a better chance of first-team action at Rangers.