Rangers have sent scouts to track the progress of Sligo Rovers defender John Mahon, according to The Express (print edition 19/02, pg 47).
The 19-year-old centre-back has made 25 senior appearances in the League of Ireland Premier Division, emerging as one of the most promising talents in the country.
That talent is not only attracting Rangers but also Celtic, Derby County and Blackburn Rovers, according to the report, which also states a six-figure fee would be required to sign him this summer.
With 18 months left on his contract, he could be an excellent bargain move, with a view to developing him further under the coaching staff at Auchenhowie.
A key transfer strategy of Rangers should be bringing young players to the club cheaply before bigger or richer clubs come calling of their services.
We’ve already seen moves for teenagers like Glenn Middleton, Nathan Young-Coombes and Kane Ritchie-Hosler, but that trio are all younger and less experienced than Mahon.
Is it time to bring in a teenager that can compete immediately for first-team places?