INTERNATIONAL duty calls for several Rangers Academy players as they look to make an impression with their respective nations this month.
Here’s a look at the Gers representatives and their fixtures:
Bailey Rice and Leyton Grant – Scotland Under-19s
Scotland Under-19s are gearing up for their crunch 2024 Under-19 European Championship Elite Qualifying Round fixtures in March.
They will first face a series of friendly fixtures in Croatia, squaring off against Turkey and Latvia as several new faces look to impress.
Among those additions to the squad for this month’s fixtures is 17-year-old central defender Leyton Grant, who has represented Scotland at Under-17 level and will be keen to catch the eye of boss Billy Stark.
Grant has spent the majority of the campaign captaining Rangers Under-18s as they shape up for the semi-finals of the Scottish Youth Cup next month.
Rice, meanwhile, has been an ever-present in midfield for Gers B this campaign, earning first-team appearances in victories over Motherwell and St. Mirren earlier this campaign.
Turkey Under-19s v Scotland Under-19s – Tuesday February 13 – International Friendly – Kick-off 5:30pm
Scotland Under-19s v Latvia Under-19s – Friday February 16 – International Friendly – Kick-off 5:30pm
Josh Gentles – Wales Under-17s
Gentles has featured prominently for Rangers B this campaign despite still being only 16-years-old and eligible to play Under-18s football.
The teenager netted his first goal for the B Team in a 4-0 win in the Glasgow Cup over Queen’s Park last year, while he was also on the scoresheet against Scottish Championship outfit Airdrieonians in the SPFL Trust Trophy.
He has continued to represent Wales at international level, and he will once again look to impress ahead of his side’s Under-17 European Championship Elite Qualifying Round fixtures next month.
Gentles and his teammates will jet off to Turkey for a pair of friendly fixtures against Bosnia and Herzegovina, before Romania, Sweden and Bulgaria stand in the way of Wales and qualification to the Under-17 European Championships in March.
Bosnia and Herzegovina Under-17s v Wales Under-17s – Tuesday February 13 – International Friendly – Kick-off 12 noon
Wales Under-17s v Bosnia and Herzegovina Under-17s – Friday February 16 – International Friendly – Kick-off 12 noon
Blaine McClure and Callum Burnside – Northern Ireland Under-17s
Rangers Academy will also be represented in the Northern Ireland Under-17s squad for their training camp this week.
McClure, who celebrated his 17th birthday last week and was voted Academy Player of the Month for January, has featured in the Northern Ireland Under-19s squad this season.
Meanwhile, Burnside, who joined the Academy full-time from Linfield last summer, has been a regular fixture in Steven Smith’s Under-18s squad this term.
The Green and White Army will be training in preparation for their Under-17 European Championship qualifiers against England, France and Hungary next month.