Newcastle United lead ‘queue’ of clubs keen on Rangers starlet stalling on £5K-p/w contract

Newcastle United have reportedly held talks with Rangers starlet Alex Lowry and are leading a “queue” of English Premier League clubs understood to be monitoring the player.

Football Insider are reporting the news that the mega wealthy Magpies want to bring the 18-year old to St James’ Park this summer with the Scottish champions trying to tie him down to a new deal.

Lowry has made just one Scottish Premiership appearance for the club but is highly rated at Ibrox having shone in Scottish Cup ties and for Rangers B in the Scottish Lowland League.

Here is what is being reported about Newcastle United pursuing Lowry:

Newcastle United ‘hold talks’ with Alex Lowry

As reported by Football Insider, Newcastle United have held talks over signing Rangers sensation Alex Lowry this summer.

The same site also reported a week ago that Rangers have offered the 18-year old a new contract said to be worth £5,000 per week after he knocked back an initial offer earlier in the year.

FI cites a “recruitment source” that claims Newcastle are “at the front of the queue of Premier League clubs keen to lure Lowry south of the border.”

It says:“His agent met Newcastle head of recruitment Steve Nickson in a hotel ahead of the Premier League clash against Wolves on 8 April.

“United outlined their interest in a deal but they face competition from top-tier rivals.

“Lowry is weighing up his options as Rangers try to stop him heading out this summer.

“The Scottish Cup finalists want the youngster to agree to a new deal running to summer 2024 and that would replace his existing agreement, which expires next year.

“Giovanni van Bronckhorst and club officials arranged a meeting last week with the teenager and his family in a bid to persuade him to stay.

“The club believe the youngster has huge potential and are aware of interest from south of the border.”

Lowry set for Ibrox exit before Rangers’ career even gets going?

It would be a blow for Rangers to lose such a promising talent before his Ibrox career has had the chance to really get started.

Lowry has made just four first team appearances for the Scottish champions with three of those coming in the Scottish Cup.

The attacking midfielder scored his only goal for the club so far on his senior debut, netting the opening goal in a 4-0 home win over Stirling Albion in January.

He also featured in the subsequent cup ties against Annan Athletic and Dundee and made his only Scottish Premiership appearance to date in the 3-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park on March 13.

Lowry still has one year remaining on his current Rangers contract, having signed a deal until the summer of 2023.

The attacking midfielder has been with the club since the age of 10 but wouldn’t be the first academy standout to make the move down south before establishing himself in the first team.

Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour memorably left the club just days after his 16th birthday to join Chelsea in 2019, having not made a single appearance for the Rangers first team.