Roma face a fight from Raith Rovers for top kid

HIGHLY-RATED Scottish schoolboy Louis Appere could be set to sign for AS Roma.

But they face competition for his signature from SPFL Championship side Raith Rovers.

The Serie A giants were tipped off about his talent and asked for video footage.

They watched the teenager and were impressed.

They followed up their interest and invited the 16-yearold Bell Baxter high school pupil to their first team Trigoria training centre in the south of Rome.

Louis spent five days there at the end of May under the watchful eye of their youth team chiefs.

The young Scot is likely to be asked back for further training next month, and then a decision on whether to offer him a contract will be made.

Appere plays for AMsoccer first team in the Fife amateur league.

He joined the AM academy – founded by Northern Ireland assistant coach Austin MacPhee – when he was just eight years old and worked his way through the ranks.

He also played for Raith Rovers reserves last season after they scouted him at AMsoccer.

Now the Starks Park club want to sign him on a permanent basis – but Roma may have something to say about that!

A measure of what Appere could be stepping into is the fact that Chelsea are currently trying to tempt Roma with £31m for the signature of Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan.

Roma finished third in Serie A this season, and have Daniele de Rossi, Alessandro Florenzi and Stephan El Shaarawy representing Italy at the Euros.