Scottish Cup winners Rangers are poised to hit the accelerator over their cut-price interest in Millwall protege Zak Lovelace.
Record Sport revealed back in January the Ibrox giants were keen on the 16-year-old striker.
The teenager has been offered a pro contract by the English Championship club but they now fear he will move cross-border for less than £200,000 in compensation.
Millwall would be able to generate more than £1million in compo if he was to sign for another English club on freedom of contract.
Millwall boss Gary Rowett, speaking earlier this month, admitted Lovelace’s future was up in the air, despite their offer.
Rowett said: “The club have made it clear that we would love Zak to be part of what we do next year and on a full-time basis. That’s our aim.
“There is an inevitability, unfortunately, that some of your better young players get poached by other clubs. To a certain degree those fees are a little bit out of your hands.
“Zak is one of those, a lad who has had a bit of interest. He’ll be getting different advice and all we can do is show how much we want him here and then see what happens.
“I don’t think he has got to make a decision now. Someone would have to be interested and essentially pay compensation for him.
“I really like him. He’s a young player I really want to see in our first team. But if a young player doesn’t sign it’s not always under our control.
“As usual it favours the elite clubs and punishes the clubs who are trying to develop these young players.”
Lovelace is the second youngest player to make his debut for Millwall when he was 15.
Rangers used a similar loophole to land current star Calvin Bassey from Leicester City.
The Ibrox side, however, could be stung the other way with Aston Villa keen on their own youngster Rory Wilson.
