Rangers have secured the future of one of the academy’s brightest talents with the news that Chris McKee has signed a new contract with the club.
The Glasgow Times has reported on the Northern Ireland youth international extending his deal until 2022 as the club’s ‘B’ team top goalscorer takes the next step on the pathway towards first team football.
Despite only being 18-years old, McKee was called up for his country’s Under-21 side during the last international break due to his impressive form against senior opposition in a series of friendlies for Kevin Thomson’s men.
After signing from Linfield in 2018 the centre-forward has gone from strength to strength and will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Nathan Patterson by being moved to the senior squad for training.
Although he might be some way behind the right-back in terms of importance to Steven Gerrard, it was the chance to impress in training that saw the Scotland youth cap earn his chance, the route taken by Stephen Kelly and Kai Kennedy may be longer but it doesn’t mean that they will be any less successful in their attempts to make the breakthrough in the coming years – that both are making an impact in the Championship and Premiership respectively will do their chances no harm at all.
The business model at Rangers should see our own academy players supplement the first team, and in an ideal world, be key players in it before they are sold for a profit further down the line, if McKee can step into the shoes left by Alfredo Morelos and Jermaine Defoe in the next 18 months or so then it will represent another step on the way to self sustainability.