Rangers have been chasing Fleetwood Town defender James Hill of late, but he is now wanted by Catalan giants Barcelona.
That may sound bizarre, but The Mirror claim that Barcelona had Hill scouted against Burton Albion last month.
Barca, who presented Xavi as their new manager on Monday, could now make a move for Hill in 2022.
Hill, 19, has excelled in League One with Fleetwood and has been turning out for England’s Under-20’s.
The chance to trade Fleetwood for Barcelona is one that few ever receive, with a move to the Camp Nou surely appealing to the centre back.
Rangers’ interest in Hill
The news will come as something of a blow for Rangers given their interest in signing Hill.
Back in September, the Daily Record reported that Rangers made a late bid to sign Hill from Fleetwood.
The League One side rejected Rangers’ offer, with Manchester United and Liverpool also interested.
Hill is out of contract at the end of the season and could walk away from Fleetwood in a cut-price move.
If Rangers can strike a pre-contract agreement in January, they can sign Hill for less than £500,000 in compensation.
Barcelona joining the race is a real complication though, with Ross Wilson and Steven Gerrard facing a lofty battle in the race for the little-known teenager.
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