Rangers Scout Manchester United Youngsters

Joga_Bonito

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He’ll play upon, Your naturalistic intuitions…
I thought that I'd give this a thread of its own as it can serve as the basis for discussion about which players from the reserves (i.e. not regularly part of the first team group), if any, could and perhaps should be allowed to leave on loan if the right opportunity arises.

Rangers scout Manchester United youngsters

Scout sent by Ibrox club to take in Manchester United XI against St Johnstone.

Rangers bid to strengthen their squad for the new season continues after they had a Manchester United youth side watched in a friendly against St Johnstone. Sandy Jardine was in the stands as United beat the Perth side 3-2 in Alan Main’s testimonial match.

STV Sport understands that Jardine was running the rule over United’s young side in general but was paying particular attention to striker Joshua King. The 18 year-old played as a centre-forward and scored on Saturday but can also be deployed on the wing.

The side, coached by former United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, was packed with young talent and Jardine would have seen several players who have the potential to make an impact in the SPL.

Brazilian midfielder Rodrigo Possebon was a key figure in midfield and showed an appetite for the physical side of the game. Northern Ireland Under-21 midfielder Oliver Norwood is a set-piece specialist who has been described by senior team manager Nigel Worthington as “a genius”.

However, it is believed that Norwegian 18-year old is the most likely target for Rangers. The powerful goalscorer was given a Premier League squad number by Sir Alex Ferguson last season but the signing of Javier Hernandez will have kept him well down the pecking order at Old Trafford.

United are unlikely to sanction a permanent transfer for any of their fledgling players as there are high hopes the current crop can step up to first team level. However, the club have a track record for placing promising players on loan to aid their development.

Paul Le Guen was successful in persuading United to send Phil Bardsley and Lee Martin to Ibrox on loan during his time in the club though the move did not work out for either party. Walter Smith is looking to bolster his threadbare squad without substantial transfer funds though and may attempt to persuade his old friend Ferguson that Champions League experience would benefit his youngsters.

King, in particular, would fill a gap in the Rangers squad due to his ability to play anywhere across the front line. Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo and DaMarcus Beasley all left Ibrox during the summer.
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As highly as I rate Joshua King, and as poor as the Scottish Premier League currently is, I would need to be confident that he is likely to start at least 15-20 games for a loan move to be even worth thinking about.

The last thing that we want for the players between the ages of 18-21 is for them to be loaned to clubs who see them as a "squad filler" who will likely not see any action unless there are numerous and serious injuries to established first team players.

Norwood, Gill, Possebon, and Eikrem, are certainly players who could benefit from a loan move at 19 years of age, but I would be very careful about agreeing to loan an 18 year old, and particularly one that isn't British.
 
I would agree that we need to be very careful what we do with King. Think he's one that we should be nurturing from within.
 
yeah king should be protected. He needs a season injury free. After last seasons carling cup, he might get more chances here if he can show the form we know he's capable of.
 
There should be some serious opportunities for some of these youngsters to get regular action at Rangers, playing infront of massive crowds at Ibrox. The Rangers squad is so weak at the minute with no money for new signings, and many of their best players having left in the summer. True that the standard isnt the best, but regular football would still be more beneficial than reserve team action.

A cousin of mine plays in the Rangers first team and he's got nothing but good words to say about the place (aside from the financial situations). And for a young striker like King to learn from Ally McCoist or to work under an experienced manager like Smith should serve him well. I'd agree though that we should exercise caution with him, as at the minute he seems extremely brittle. Not sure if its the type of league Eikrem would thrive in either amongst all the hatchet men, and he'd probably have Steve Davis to compete with this year in the middle.

As for who it would suit. Maybe Corry Evans and De Laet. Corry was a Rangers fan as a boy and should get a game with Kevin Thomson departed, and De laets versatility would get him games at the back. Rangers are most in need of wide players but i'm not sure who we've got that would fit the bill.
 
Think it would be a good move. Even 10 games for Rangers plus a spell on the sidelines is going to be better for him than a season is the reserves.
 
loaning to scottish clubs might not be a bad idea as they've clearly a limited market, not much money and the weathers the same. I'm suprised other scottish clubs haven't shown interest or maybe they have? Think walter smiths still manager there so with his united connections i'm sure they're interested.
 
We (Rangers) are light on the wings and up front this year following the departures of Boyd, Novo, Thompson, Beasley and Smith. There are opportunities as we've got little money to beef up the squad. In retrospect the loans of Lee Martin and Phil Bardsley in 2006 weren't that successful, so any incoming players would have to be good enough to hold their own in the first team squad.
 
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