Sources: Rangers in advanced talks to sign midfield duo
Rangers are in advanced talks to sign Irish rising stars Blaine McClure and Callum Burnside, sources have told Football Insider.
The midfield pair have caught the attention of the Glasgow giants after impressing for the academy of Northern Irish club Linfield as well as on the international stage with Northern Ireland’s youth age groups.
McClure and Burnside have attracted the interest of a number of clubs north and south of the border but Rangers have moved quickly to lure them to Ibrox.
Both teenagers turned 16 earlier this year – McClure last month and Burnside in January – and they are set to sign professional contracts with the Gers and complete summer moves.
The pair are central midfielders and have already played well enough for Rangers in age-group matches to convince their coaches to authorise deals.
The Scottish club have the identification and promotion of academy players a key part of their business plan going forward as they look to balance the books and develop saleable assets.
They committed to making the academy a prominent part of their strategy under the board in 2019 after neglecting it during their years of financial strife.
It is one of the reasons they hired Michael Beale as their manager last November, as he made his name in youth-team football and has a track record of developing players at academy level as well as being passionate about working with young players he can improve.
Rangers have also lost some of their top youngsters to Premier League clubs in recent years, and regarded the new contract recently agreed by in-demand Leon King as vindication of their growing faith in youth.
Billy Gilmour and Adedire Mebude’s were lured to Chelsea and Manchester City for six-figure fees when they turned 16, and striker Rory Wilson move to Aston Villa last summer for a fee of £350,000 plus performance-related bonuses.
In other news, Rangers deal to sign midifelder collapses at eleventh hour after full agreement in place.