Levitt keen to use Ramsey’s Welsh lessons to create Tannadice shock

DYLAN LEVITT spent last summer absorbing every movement made and every word spoken by Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.

As one of the youngest members of Robert Page’s Wales squad at Euro 2020, it was natural that Levitt should idolise Bale, the team captain and global star at Real Madrid.

But in Ramsey, he saw not only a midfielder of Serie A quality but a vision of the type of player he wishes to become.

During downtime, he’d hang on every word of advice imparted by the Juventus midfielder and make mental notes of his displays in games and training sessions.

Contracted to Manchester United, the 21-year-old Levitt has Premier League ambitions but was sent on loan to Dundee United by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last August to add a competitive edge to his playmaking talents.

Thus far it has gone well. Levitt’s presence has enabled Thomas Courts to absorb the loss of midfield fulcrum Jeando Fuchs and added a silky streak to United’s play.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst hopes Ramsey’s temporary move from Turin will prove equally beneficial for Rangers as the Ibrox side seek to outperform Celtic in the closing weeks of the season but if this afternoon meets Levitt’s expectations, then Ramsey might wish he hadn’t been quite so generous with his advice.

He said: ‘When I first went into the Wales squad, Aaron was very important. He and Gareth were role models for me growing up.

‘To be sharing a pitch with him now is brilliant and every time we go away with Wales he is always trying to help youngsters.

‘He’s always been an influence on me and now he has come to the Scottish Premiership, too.’

Having made his first Rangers start in last weekend’s Scottish Cup tie at Annan, Ramsey was back on the bench for the team’s Europa League trip to Dortmund on Thursday.

The 31-year-old was not signed to play a bit-part role and it’s possible Van Bronckhorst will find a place for him in today’s starting XI. If so, he is likely to find himself in direct competition with Levitt.

Bale and Ramsey were the two key players for Wales last summer, just as they had been for Chris Coleman at the Euro 2016 tournament in France five years previously.

Given his youth and his most recent stint on loan with Croatians Istra 1961 last term, Levitt (below) was thrilled just to be involved but he did claim the most memorable of his ten caps in the final group-stage match against eventual champions Italy in Rome.

‘It was amazing for me and my family to play in a major tournament with Wales,’ he adds. ‘To come on against Italy in Rome was a surreal moment. It’s what I always wanted as a kid.

‘I always watched Wales, dreamt of playing for the team and not in terms of a major tournament, just getting a game.

‘It was a massive experience for me, a big honour to be called up for my country alongside players who have been there and done it, won major trophies at their clubs.

‘In training, Aaron was always speaking to me, trying to push me on. But he is like that with everyone, not just the young ones, he helps the experienced players too.

‘He is a great role model for me and hopefully I will get called up again for the March internationals and we can catch up then.’

While club-mates such as Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay finding a quick route to the Manchester United first team, Levitt knew his own route to prominence would need to be more circuitous.

Croatia was an impressively offbeat destination for last year’s chapter of development, and now he finds himself on Tayside.

Others among his peer group might have looked down on the prospect of a move to Scotland but Levitt has embraced it.

‘It’s really beneficial for me to be playing every week,’ he explains. ‘Being in a first-team environment full of experienced players has improved me.

‘I have a lot learning still to do but I have gained a lot here. Especially playing games thick and fast.

‘It’s very different to being at Manchester United but I wanted to come somewhere to try and push myself. Being able to try and express myself in Scotland has been a big bonus for me. I’m enjoying my time here.

‘Scottish football gets overlooked sometimes but the standard is good.

‘It is helping me develop as a player and get to where I want to go in my career.

‘Hopefully this loan is going well and I will go back down south in the summer and show the manager what I learned being here.’