Rangers are reportedly hoping to land Tyler Roberts on loan from Premier League outfit West Bromwich Albion, before his contract expires in July.
Interest in West Brom youngster Tyler Roberts is hotting up with just six months left on his contract. According to The Sun, Scottish giants Rangers have made contact with The Baggies about signing the 18-year-old striker on loan in January – ahead of a potential exit in the summer.
It is understood that West Brom are desperate to tie Roberts down to a long-term contract but, as things stand, could lose him in July for a compensation fee as small as £300,000.
And it’s tempting to wonder whether Rangers are keen to lure Roberts to Ibrox on a short-term deal as something of an audition. If the striker, who is currently impressive on loan at Walsall, makes an impact at Ibrox what is to say Rangers won’t attempt to sign him in the summer when he is a free agent?
This would not be the first time Rangers have landed a talented young Premier League striker on a bargain deal. But it goes without saying that Graeme Murty’s side would hope that Roberts does a little better on the blue half of Glasgow than Joe Dodoo did.
Set the bar low
The jet-heeled Dodoo arrived at Ibrox in the summer of 2016 after his contract at Leicester City expired but, after a bright start, faded fast. The 22-year-old made just 25 appearances in his debut season in Scotland before falling down the pecking order.
Dodoo is currently on loan at Charlton Athletic in League One – but has found himself out-of-favour and without a league appearance since September.
Rangers fans, then, may be a little wary of reports that Roberts could arrive in a similar deal. Though no teenager in the English Football League has scored as many goals as the Welshman’s five this season.
And West Brom’s desire to keep him at The Hawthorns is a real indicator of his potential.
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