The teenage striker is impressing for Aston Villa’s Under-23s.
Aston Villa decided against loaning out Rushian Hepburn-Murphy during the summer transfer window, the Birmingham Mail reports.
Hepburn-Murphy has shone for Villa’s Under-23s this season, prompting calls for him to feature in Steve Bruce’s first-team plans.
The 18-year-old has played four minutes of senior football this term, whereas fellow Villa starlets, Harry McKirdy and Kevin Toner, were allowed to continue their development out on loan.
According to the Birmingham Mail, the plan had been for Hepburn-Murphy to follow suit, but Villa changed their mind after failing to tie the England youth international to a new contract.
With his existing deal due to expire next summer, it is claimed that the Villans refused to sanction a temporary move in case he impressed, alerting other clubs to his potential.
Toner (right) is flourishing on loan
However, their plan looks to have backfired amid reports on Wednesday that Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers are lining up a cut-price move next summer.
Were Hepburn-Murphy to move to Ibrox then Villa could miss out on a sizeable windfall, with FIFA rules enabling out-of-contract English-based players, who are under the age of 24, to sign for Scottish clubs for minimal compensation.
Rangers’ Ibrox Stadium
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