Scottish Championship promotion hopefuls Dundee are looking to snap up a deal for Rangers youngster Zak Rudden this summer, according to the Scottish Sun.
The newspaper claim on their website that Dundee boss James McPake, who has taken over permanently as the recently-relegated side’s manager, wants the 19-year-old centre forward in the Scottish Championship as they look to battle with city rivals Dundee United for the title and promotion back to the top flight.
Rudden, who scored 12 goals in 31 second tier appearances on loan at Falkirk last season, has had Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, who confirmed that the starlet would be part of the club’s pre-season squad, raving, the manager telling Rangers TV: “Zak is one who I have a lot of admiration for and is someone who was very keen to go out and play and be involved in a man’s game.
“He has gone out to test himself and has done extremely well. He is someone who is very selfless and works his socks off. I see a future here for Zak. He will come with us on pre-season and depending on how he does, how he looks and how much he has improved over the 12 months will determine what part he plays next year.
“In the last couple of weeks he has done well, but it is no surprise as he gives you everything he has got.”
Opinion
Rudden is quite clearly very well thought of by Gerrard and the rest of the Ibrox coaching staff and so McPake might well have a battle on his hands trying to convince the youngster to drop into the Championship once again. If Gerrard is impressed by what he sees in pre-season then he is likely to keep the young talent around as backup for the first team – after all, it is not like he has plenty of centre forwards ready and waiting. Kyle Lafferty has failed to live up to expectation, leaving Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe as the only other recognised senior strikers at the club. The Gers do love a homegrown talent and it seems as though Gerrard has high hopes for Rudden. Maybe Dundee will be able to convince them of a short term loan deal, giving him a little bit more first team action before staking his claim at Ibrox, but that decision will lie in the hands of the Rangers boss, not McPake. One thing is for sure – Rudden is a man in demand at both his current club and elsewhere.