Rangers have allowed Kyle McClelland to leave Ibrox this summer – and West Ham United have now joined the race for his signature.
Rangers are seeing Alex Lowry emerge as a real first-team star, but not every young talent can have that path.
For every Lowry or even Billy Gilmour, who quickly moved to the Premier League, there are the likes of Dapo Mebude and Malcolm Ebiowei who had to move on.
In the case of defender McClelland, his time at Rangers has come to an end with a summer exit already confirmed.
Rangers have allowed Kyle McClelland to leave Ibrox
Reports from The Scottish Daily Express last week suggested that Rangers are ready to let McClelland leave.
Just days later, McClelland confirmed his Rangers exit on Twitter.
McClelland hasn’t been able to break into the Rangers first team and has been behind fellow youngster Leon King in the pecking order.
The Northern Ireland youth international, 20, wasn’t near first-team action and wasn’t going to be moving forward.
Having been on loan at Falkirk, McClelland may now have plenty of interest.
Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City and Sheffield United are all claimed to be interested in McClelland.
West Ham show interest in signing McClelland
There is interest even higher up the English football pyramid with West Ham United now keen.
The Daily Record claim that West Ham have joined the race to sign McClelland.
It’s suggested that McClelland actually rejected a new contract at Rangers and is looking to land a move elsewhere.
West Ham swooped to sign a former Rangers player last summer by landing goalkeeper Brian Kinnear.
Scottish boss David Moyes may now look to repeat the trick by bringing McClelland to the London Stadium this summer as West Ham chase a developmental defender.
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