Arsenal closing in on Rangers attacking midfielder Alexander Smith

Arsenal are closing in on Rangers attacking midfielder Alexander Smith and are now ready to open talks with the Scottish Premiership club about recruiting the teenage sensation, according to the Sun.

The 15-year-old has been on the radar of the Gunners for a while, and they are set to offer Rangers a six-figure compensation fee for his services.

Smith was born in Scotland but holds dual citizenship, representing the USA at under-15 level before switching to play for the under-16s of his country of birth.

Rangers would love to hold on to him, but the opportunity to join Arsenal and potentially play Premier League football in some years from now could be too tempting for the youngster to turn down.

The Gunners could look to prioritise signing youngsters this summer, and Scotland is now a big market for them as a result of their inability to sign players under 18 years of age elsewhere due to Brexit.

Smith impressed for the Rangers youth team at the East Mallorca Cup in Spain last April, picking up four Man of the Match awards in five games, including a win over their Liverpool counterparts.

Arsenal are convinced he has the potential to become a Premier League star in the near future, and they are hoping to get a deal done.

They want to bolster their youth ranks given that doing so could save them millions in the future, and Aberdeen defender Lewis Carrol is also on their radar.

The Gunners and Chelsea are leading the race for the 15-year-old ahead of the summer transfer window, and more Scottish talents could be targeted in the coming weeks and months.

Signing teenagers yet to play first-team football is unlikely to excite Arsenal fans, but it is a recruitment strategy the club could benefit hugely from in the future.

Should some of these signings fail to break into their senior team, the Gunners could end up selling them for decent fees, which would help when it comes to profit and sustainability.