Sources: Newcastle United and Everton to sign Dylan Smith
Newcastle have joined the hunt to sign Ross County sensation Dylan Smith, sources have told Football Insider.
The centre-back, 16, has attracted the interest of a number of clubs after bursting onto the scene at the Scottish Premiership club this season.
Everton and Sheffield Wednesday watched Smith in action last weekend against Aberdeen and now Newcastle have sent scouts to cast an eye over him.
Newcastle’s head of youth recruitment Paul Midgley is understood to have watched Smith in action against Hearts this weekend as they plot a move.
The defender was in the starting lineup for the Staggies’ 6-1 hammering by Hearts on Saturday (22 April).
The teenager has made nine appearances for Malky Mackay’s side this season and has been in the starting XI for four of those fixtures since moving up from the youth side last summer.
As quoted by The Press and Journal (12 April), Mackay insisted the youngster has been given a run in the side on “merit” and said he has “high hopes” for him at the club.
The 16-year-old is the youngest player in the Scottish Premiership this year and the Ross County boss insisted once he starts training regularly with the first team they will see big improvements in his game.
Ross County are currently bottom of the Scottish Premiership with just 27 points from 33 games.
They are four points behind Kilmarnock ahead of the league split and face the prospect of being relegated from the Scottish top flight at the end of the season.
In other news, Newcastle expect Liverpool to beat them to signing Chelsea star.