CROSS-BORDER COUPS

FRASER WILSON

AS next steps on the footballing career ladder go it’s about as severe a dilemma as you could possibly imagine.

Courted by Scottish football’s big two in the same transfer window. Without an allegiance to either side.

With all things being equal in terms of workplace, opportunities and, looking at the Premiership table, hopes of the title.

Tyrese Campbell could be forgiven for seeking out a career adviser with Rangers and Celtic both on his trail at Stoke for a pre-contract ahead of a summer move.

But his current club are also eager to get the 20-year-old tied down on a new deal.

Forget his head being on a swivel, Campbell’s noggin will be going a full 360 as he looks at the prospects between the two sides of Glasgow and

staying put in Staffordshire.

Just like the situation Joe Aribo found himself in last summer when the Old Firm vied with Charlton for the midfielder’s attention.

What can swing such a tightlyfought transfer scrap though? If the money on offer is in the same bracket – and if Rangers and Celtic are serious about the player then they should be matching each other pound for pound – then what is the determining factor for a player to choose one colour over the other? For Marcus Gayle – Aribo’s mentor who watched closely as the 23-year-old sealed a move to Ibrox from the Addicks – it comes down to how much a manager actually wants the player. And how he proves it.

He reckons Steven Gerrard went the extra mile to beat Celtic in the race for Aribo’s signature six months ago. Quite literally.

The Ibrox boss travelled the length of Britain to sell the club to Aribo in his home turf in London. And his efforts were not in vain. Gayle managed Aribo at his first club Staines Town and had a short spell as a Rangers player himself.

And he reckons Campbell is f.wilson@dailyrecord.co.uk already facing one of the biggest decisions of his career.

But the successes of Aribo at Rangers and his old Manchester City youth team-mate Jeremie Frimpong across the city at Celtic prove that a move north of the border can be a stepping stone to the next level.

He said: “It’s a big few months for Tyrese but he will handle it fine. He is a level-headed lad and from good stock so he will weigh everything up and make the right decision I’m sure.

“It won’t be easy though. It may come down to the managers. From what I heard the deciding factor for Joe in the summer was the fact Steven Gerrard came down to see him in London. He came into his environment and I think that was one of the big things behind his decision.

“Someone of Steven Gerrard’s stature took the time to come down and make the effort to convince him to move to Rangers. These things resonate with players. They appreciate that sort of effort.

“I couldn’t call it at this stage. My heart would always say Rangers especially with the effect Aribo has had there. He

MOUSSA DEMBELE – Celtic spent £500,000 to lure the Frenchman from Fulham, banking almost £20million (then a Scottish record) from Lyon two years later.

JOE ARIBO – Rangers landed the midfielder for just £300,000 last summer, to frustration of Charlton boss Lee Bowyer, who thought he’d have been better off in England.

– Celts paid more has pushed on in a short space of time and become an international player. I’m not sure if the two players know each other but Tyrese may look at Aribo and think ‘he has taken a chance and it’s worked’.

“But the same could be said of Jeremie Frimpong at Celtic who is relishing playing north of the border.

“He was team-mates with Frimpong in the Manchester City academy and will have watched his development since he decided to break away from the colossal side of City to find first-team football.

“That’s important for any youngster. They can’t hide in an under-23 side, they need to get the chance to play first-team football. But Tyrese has good people around him and his dad will have a big say in this.

“Rangers and Celtic are both than the £250,000 development fee to prise 18-year-old from Bolton last summer. Jury’s still out.

JORDAN ROSSITER – Liverpool kid arrived at Gers on four-year deal for £250,000 in May 2016 but is now on loan at Fleetwood.

KUNDAI BENYU – English-born Zimbabwean, signed by Celts in summer 2017, has had little impact and is on loan at Helsingborgs. back competing in the latter stages of the European scene as well and that’s always a big thing for a player.

“Stoke are languishing towards the bottom of the Championship. They face a battle to stay at that level then try to win promotion back into the Premier League.

“Rangers or Celtic is still a good division and I can say moving north of the border is a good experience, passionate supporters and the European campaigns carry a lot of weight. That could be a defining factor.

“It would be a good move for any young player to go up there and add another notch to their education. You learn a lot by playing in that division.”

Wherever Campbell ends up Gayle is convinced he has all the attributes to be as successful as his dad Kevin who played up front for Arsenal and Everton.

Gayle said: “I watched Tyrese play against Brentford and he was a difficult customer to deal with. He is well built, quick, just like his dad although he has a much better left foot!

“He’s a good kid who just wants a chance to improve himself. Whether that’s north of the border or not is down to him.

“But he has everything needed to be a success wherever his next move takes him.”