Rangers are keeping tabs on Lewis Gibson’s situation at Everton, according to The Athletic.

The 19-year old centre-back has jumped to the front of the pack of starlets waiting to make the step up to the first-team at Goodison Park, however he could leave if he doesn’t receive an opportunity soon.

The defender, who signed from Newcastle for £6million in July 2017, will see his contract with the Merseyside club expire next summer, meaning he would be able to leave on a free transfer.

Gibson is one of the more talented players in the club’s Under-23s set up, and recent reports have suggested that Newcastle want to bring Gibson back to Tyneside if he isn’t getting first-team football at Everton.

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Now The Athletic report that Rangers are also interested in the Under-17s World Cup winner, with the Scottish giants able to open talks with the defender in January.

Gibson is probably considered Everton’s fourth choice centre-back this season, with the club lacking depth in that position, and if Marco Silva signs a defender in January, Gibson will only move further down the pecking order.

Rangers believe that the promise of minutes could tempt Gibson into leaving the Premier League for Ibrox.

Read Everton Verdict

Lewis Gibson has such a stellar reputation at Finch Farm that I find it hard to believe Everton will wait much longer before offering him a new contract.

However, it seems the problem will be convincing him to put pen to paper, especially if he is so determined for first-team minutes, which will likely be hard to come by at Goodison Park.

Rangers is an attractive prospect as a growing club, particularly under Steven Gerrard, and Gibson could easily be tempted. Hopefully though, Everton can make him enough assurances to keep him on Merseyside.