When Rory Wilson left Glasgow Rangers last summer, it was looked upon as the club losing one of their most talented youngsters, with the striker dazzling in the Ibrox academy.
He joined Premier League side Aston Villa, who had to fork out £350k for his signature, and he was yet another player lured to the riches of England, following the likes of Billy Gilmour previously.
Wilson has netted 15 goals from 16 appearances for the Scotland U17 side and was expected to shatter records at the club, yet it was another Gers teenager who moved south of the border a few years before the Villa striker that appears to be another disaster for the club – Dire Mebude.
Who is Dire Mebude?
The young right-winger joined Rangers aged just ten alongside his brother, Dapo, following his family’s decision to move to Scotland. While his older brother scored three times for the B side and made his first team debut under Steven Gerrard, he eventually moved onto Belgian outfit KV Oostende.
Dire was also highly regarded and with a bright future ahead of him at the Glasgow side, made the decision to turn down professional terms, subsequently joining Manchester City in 2020. Since then, it would not be a surprise if the Light Blues regret that move considering his progress.
The move to City has worked wonders, with the winger scoring 29 goals across both the U18 and U21 teams while winning the player's player of the year award for the U18 side last term, registering a whopping 31 goal contributions in all competitions.
He is also making his name on the international stage, having made appearances for the Scotland U16 and U19 teams, he recently made his debut for the U21 side and scored on his debut with a wonderful solo effort against Sweden.
Journalist Simon Bajkowski has lauded him for being “lively” and his recent performances have certainly demonstrated that praise to full effect as he has looked eager to push his boundaries. As such, the Ibrox side will be kicking themselves for letting him leave.
Talent such as Mebude’s doesn’t come around often and seeing him make the move, and indeed perform well at a club such as City, proves that he may have enjoyed a bright future at Rangers.
With Wilson embracing life at Villa, Rangers have now seen a repeat of that disaster by letting Mebude depart.