Just In: Fabrizio Romano reveals Philippe Clement linked with Arsenal amid

One of Philippe Clement’s key long-term plans is ensuring Rangers develop their players to contribute to the first team and the finances.

The manager is keen to see more Auchenhowie graduates like Ross McCausland make an impact at senior level and contribute where it matters most, in front of 50,000 fans at Ibrox every other week.

The next prodigious talent on the conveyor belt has reportedly put pen to paper with Fabrizio Romano claiming that Philippe Clement has played a key role in persuading one of Rangers hottest prospects to commit his future to the club.

Philippe Clement role explained as Rangers sign Alexander Smith

The academy is a key pillar of sustainable success and financial stability at Rangers.

A Nathan Patterson once in a while goes a long way in providing the manager with funds to reinvest.

What also plays its part is those, like McCausland, who might not ever be world beaters, but they can be trusted to do a job when they are needed to help with rotation, cup games or injuries.

He might be a couple of years away yet, however, 15-year old Alexander Smith looks set to turn his nose up at interest from the Premier League to chance his luck at Rangers, according to transfer guru Romano:

“Rangers top prospect Alexander Smith close to agreeing first professional contract at the club valid until June 2027.

“He’s elegible for USA & Scotland national teams.

“Rangers fought off strong interest from PL and MLS to keep him, top priority for the board and Clement.”

Smith, had looked close to joining Arsenal so it could be that Clement’s intervention has swung the deal in Rangers favour.

Clement plan will protect Rangers in the future

Rangers never want to lose players like Smith to English clubs, we’ve seen it before with Billy Gilmour how frustrating it can be seeing such a good player consistently performing at the highest level and they never got the chance to play in the first team at G51.

Speaking last week, Philippe Clement was insistent that producing their own talent is the way forward for Rangers:

“The club needs for the future to get also money in by producing or making players better, getting young players in and to make them better to sell them.

“Also for sure out of the academy making players who can be starters in the first team. That needs to be a model that we will build the next couple of years, it is not the work of one week, two weeks, six months, or even one year or two years.

“It is an important thing and it was important we gave chances to Ross to be a symbol of the Academy and out of that Cole, Robbie and Jonly and the others they feel it is also possible and it gives belief.

“That is what they are showing. Does it mean they are ready to start every game and to play every game? Not yet.

However, I’m hoping they’ll take on every other challenger. It doesn’t matter to me how old someone is.

Introducing and exposing the academy players to first team training as early as possible and on a regular basis is one of the initiatives that Clement has put in place.

He only trained with the senior side five times before moving up, as he has stated to McCausland.

Clement’s proposal needs to become standard practice if a seamless transition is to be enhanced.

Smith still has a ways to go before Ianis Hagi or Todd Cantwell should be concerned about him.