Rangers boss Steven Gerrard hopes to burn off Premier League rivals to land Blackpool teen Tony Weston.

The Daily Record says Blackpool's academy player of the year has already been linked with moves to Leeds, Everton and Southampton.

The St Mary's club were reportedly ready to pay £250,000 for him earlier this term but Rangers could steal a march, with Gerrard's influence, for a player highly rated by Simon Grayson, before he was sacked by the Seasiders in February.

Speaking after Weston's debut in December, Grayson said: “I've not stopped talking to my staff about him since I watched him in a reserve game.

“He's got 30-year-old lads behind him in the warm-up and I've never known a 16-year-old lead with stuff like that."