Sources: Aston Villa in advanced talks to sign striker after record offer
Aston Villa are in advanced talks to sign Rangers sensation Rory Wilson, Football Insider understands.
The Premier League club are confident of agreeing a deal with the striker, 16, ahead of rival top-flight clubs including Brighton.
A Villa source has told Football Insider they are pushing hard to lure Wilson and are close to securing a breakthrough after extensive talks.
It would be a major coup for the big-spending Midlands giants as Wilson is regarded as a big talent.
Football Insider broke the news on 28 March that the forward has rejected the most lucrative first-year professional deal in the Glasgow club's history to make it clear he wants to quit Ibrox.
Director of football Ross Wilson and manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst tried to sell the club to Wilson and his family in a bid to get the youngster to stay.
But those talks failed and now he can join a club south of the border for a cross-border development fee of just £300,000.
Barring an unexpected U-turn, Wilson is now expected to sign for Villa and join the legions of top British talents who have headed to the Midlands over the last 18 months.
Wilson, who turned 16 in January, is able to sign a pro deal at Rangers as Scottish rules allow them from the age of 16.
In England, he would need to wait seven months to do so.
However, Villa have offered Wilson a scholarship contract that would be converted into a full-time deal when he is 17.
Losing such a prodigious talent would be a major blow for Rangers, who were unable to stop Billy Gilmour heading to Chelsea at the same age.
Wilson scored over 40 goals in 2021-22 for Gers youth teams and also has eight in 11 matches for Scotland Under-17s.