Rangers linked with highly-rated 18-year-old starlet – A good investment for the future?

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Why Emanuel Kulego could be a good future signing for Rangers

According to claims from Norwegian source Nettavisen (h/t Leicestershire Live), highly-rated Rosenborg starlet Emanuel Kulego is the subject of interest from Scottish giants Rangers.

As per the source, the 18-year-old striker is yet to make his senior professional debut for Rosenborg but his talent and potential have also attracted interest from Premier League high-flyers Leicester City.

However, Kulego, who signed his first professional contract with Rosenborg, has reiterated his desire to enjoy a breakthrough with his boyhood club in the Eliteserien. (Nettavisen h/t Leicestershire Live)

Despite still awaiting his senior debut, the young striker boasts considerable experience across various age groups. The teenager previously impressed for Rosenborg’s U-16 and U-19 sides before making the step up to the club’s reserve team in the Norwegian third-tier last term.

Fotball, Premier League-rykter | Premier League-interesse for RBK-talent
Emanuel Kulego has been linked with Rangers and Leicester City (Getty Images)

Kulego is yet to make his full international debut for Norway but has represented his nation at the U-17 level, registering 8 caps in the process.

Meanwhile, Rangers have already set the ball rolling in the transfer market this summer with deals for attacking duo Cedric Itten and Kemar Roofe. In addition to that, the Gers have finalized a permanent deal for last season’s loanee Ianis Hagi while completing a move for defender Leon Balogun.

The Gers have also put a lot of emphasis on their youth recruitment drive with the acquisition of young full-back Calvin Bassey from Leicester City while highly-rated academy prospect Nathan Patterson was recently handed his league debut by Steven Gerrard.

Furthermore, the Ibrox giants have also made a lot of progress at the academy level in terms of tying some of their prized starlets down to new deals. The likes of Jack Thomson, Brian Kinnear, Robbie Fraser, and Alex Lowry all put pen to paper on fresh terms earlier this summer, something that lies testament to the club’s long-term plans moving forward under Gerrard.

Matchvinner i debuten / Rosenborg
Kulego is yet to make his senior professional debut for Rosenborg (Getty Images)

To put things into perspective, Rangers’ efforts to build a strong foundation for the future have been well-documented and Emanuel Kulego would be a move that would fall in line with the club’s recent activities.

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Verdict

Gerrard hasn’t hesitated to gradually integrate some of the club’s homegrown prospects into the first-team setup. And Kulego could go on to have a bright future if he manages to prove himself in the coming days.

The 18-year-old still seems to have a long way to go in his development, considering that he’s yet to make his senior debut in Norway. However, that shouldn’t deter Rangers’ interest in the player as it’s not always easy for young players to make an immediate transition from the youth to the professional level.