New Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale is reportedly looking to bolster the Ibrox club's youth ranks with the addition of promising teenager Alex Kpakpe, according to the latest reports.

What's the word?

As per The Athletic, Rangers are reportedly interested in signing the 18-year-old defender in the near future, with the Old Firm side hoping to continue their push to strengthen the academy set-up.

The young Englishman is currently without a club and has already featured in a 'bounce game' for the Scottish Premiership side, with the versatile ace potentially set to be snapped up as an 'academy signing'.

The report also adds that fellow starlet James Wilson is also believed to be a target for the Glasgow giants at present, with the club also working to tie current graduate Leon King down to a new long-term deal, amid rampant interest in the centre-back.

Beale's next Reece James

As the report also outlines, part of the appeal with regards to the appointment of Beale is the 42-year-old's desire to work with and promote young talent, having previously worked in the youth ranks at both Liverpool and Chelsea.

The latter side is where the aforementioned Kpakpe had been on the books prior to his exit last month, with the exciting asset having endured a "frustrating" last two years due to injury and illness, as per journalist Jordan Campbell.

The suggestion is that the London-born full-back is a player of real quality, however, hence the Light Blues' interest in his signature, with his main "strength" said to be his "power in transition", in the words of Campbell.

The hope will be that Beale can help to nurture him in a similar manner to that of another asset to have emerged from Stamford Bridge in the form of Reece James, with the current Blues star having been coached by the former Queen's Park Rangers boss in the past.

The 23-year-old has since developed into a truly "phenomenal" presence in the first team at Stamford Bridge, as per Rangers legend Ally McCoist, having also been described as "easily one of the best right-backs in the world at the minute" by pundit Ian Wright.

That quality has been evidenced by the fact that the England international has racked up 31 goal contributions in 134 games in all competitions for the west London giants to date, while he notably ranks in the top 4% in Europe for dribbles completed among those in his position as a sign of his attacking quality.

Not only a threat from his full-back berth, James is also able to feature in a more advanced wing-back position and at centre-back, having also been deployed in the centre of midfield on occasion over the years.

That flexibility is also a feature of Kpakpe's game, with the teen star said to be able to line up at left-wing back, centre-back and also in central midfield, with such versatility no doubt an attractive prospect as far as those at Ibrox are concerned.

With Beale having played his part in nurturing a young James into becoming the world-beater that he now is, the experienced coach could well look to repeat that feat with Kpakpe, albeit with it now set to be to the benefit of his current employers rather than Chelsea.