By Sam Stone

14th Jun, 2022 | 7:02pm

Aston Villa set to sign Rangers striker Rory Wilson with personal terms agreed - Fabrizio Romano

Aston Villa are set to sign Rangers striker Rory Wilson after agreeing on personal terms with the 16-year-old striker as revealed by The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano.

Romano confirmed via his personal Twitter account on Monday 13 June that Villa are poised to sign Wilson with Steven Gerrard being the main factor in the 16-year-olds decision to move to Villa Park.

Wilson has featured for Rangers and Scotland at youth level and bagged a whopping 49 goals last season at youth level.

Good piece of business

This is an excellent piece of future planning by Gerrard with the striker clearly an asset that could be developed and sold on for a large fee.

It is a low-risk signing with minimal fees involved and displays how Gerrard’s Rangers links are influencing proceedings at Villa Park.

Rangers will be disappointed to have lost the striker having developed him through their youth system.

The Gers must work harder to retain their attacking assets in the future as Wilson joins a long list of youth products that have left Ibrox or were never given a first-team chance.

It’s a bold move from the youngster with first-team opportunities more likely north of the border, but nevertheless, it indicates the striker is ambitious and fancies his chances of developing under Gerrard at Villa.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see the youngster potentially loaned out in two or three years’ time to gain more first-team experience, potentially in the Championship or in League One.

In other Aston Villa news, Aston Villa and Southampton are in pursuit of Peterborough defender Ronnie Edwards.