Rangers have joined Celtic in targeting Japhet Matondo this summer

Rangers have joined Celtic in targeting Japhet Matondo as Cardiff City seemingly face up to the prospect of losing the teenage starlet.

Rangers lost the Europa League final but did secure the Scottish Cup to give Giovanni van Bronckhorst his first piece of silverware as Gers boss.

The attention will soon turn to the summer transfer window with Rangers needing to bring in major quality to aid Van Bronckhorst.

Yet Rangers could also look to bring in talent for the future and Ross Wilson seemingly has his sights set on landing Cardiff teenager Matondo.

Rangers have joined Celtic in targeting Japhet Matondo

Wales Online report that Rangers have now joined the battle to bring 16-year-old Matondo to Scotland.

Yet it now appears that Celtic’s bitter rivals Rangers are also keen in what is becoming a crowded transfer fight./

It’s claimed that Matondo is very highly rated by Cardiff staff but they’re now facing up to the prospect of a summer exit.

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Matondo will though wait until Cardiff have made him a new contract offer before committing to anybody else.

This has to feel like a cruel case of deja vu for Cardiff.

Matondo’s brother Rabbi was also on the books at Cardiff but left the club as a youngster for Manchester City.

Rabbi hasn’t made the breakthrough at City and has been out on loan at Cercle Brugge in Belgium this season.

Japhet will hope that his next decision takes him on a path to first-team action.

That’s something he will have to think very carefully about having seen Rabbi’s career take some unexpected detours of late.

That could be staying at Cardiff or moving to Scotland, with Celtic and Rangers eyeing cut-price moves.

Scottish clubs can take advantage of cross-border compensation rules to land players for bargain prices.

Celtic and Rangers love to sign young talent from the English system for that very reason and Matondo is a prime target for both.