Rangers target Matthew Knox: I'm a Celtic fan and my hero is Henrik Larsson ...

[ian1964 10,761]

...but that wouldn't stop me signing on at Ibrox

 

IT'S been a whirlwind rise to prominence for the 16-year-old who had enjoyed VIP tours of some of the biggest clubs in England.

 

RANGERS target Matthew Knox admits he’s a Celtic fan who’s hero is Henrik Larsson but a move to Ibrox is an offer he wouldn’t refuse.

 

The Light Blues had a bid of £75,000 for the Livingston ace rejected last week as the Lions await an improved approach for Scottish football’s hottest young property.

 

It’s been a whirlwind rise to prominence for the 16-year-old who had enjoyed VIP tours of some of the biggest clubs in England as well as making a positive impression under Mark Warburton’s watchful eye at Murray Park.

 

There have also been trials at Manchester United, Liverpool, Spurs, Everton and Nottingham Forest for a prodigious talent who became his club’s youngest ever player last December just four days after his 16th birthday.

 

But after revealing he’s modelled his game on the King of Kings, Knox is adamant he’d happily swap allegiance for the chance to star for Rangers.

 

He said: “I’m a Celtic fan, it’s a bit bizarre when I pick up the paper and see my name linked with Rangers but who you support shouldn’t matter when it comes to which club you play for. My family are all Hearts fans and it doesn’t bother them that I play for Livingston and support Celtic.

 

“The number one reason I’m a Celtic fan is down to one man and that’s Henrik Larsson.

 

“When I was aged about five or six-years-old I used to watch him play and I loved him.

 

“I went to the games to watch him and he’s my ultimate hero.

 

“He had so much class and bags of talent so I used to watch him and try and be like him. I'd practice the things he did to try and improve my own game.

 

“Even though I’m a Celtic fan, that wouldn’t stop me moving to Rangers as it wouldn’t bother me as they are a massive club. As a professional footballer, it’s about playing football that matters and that should come before everything else.”

 

Knox has shown a maturity beyond his years and a technical ability which has him firmly on the radar of the biggest clubs in the land but the former Preston Lodge High School pupil prefers to take it all in his stride when he’s rubbing shoulders with England’s Premier League superstars.

 

He said: “I try not to pinch myself and think about where I am, I try and just get on with things and take it in my stride.

 

“So much has happened for me over the last few months, I’ve been training with some of the biggest clubs in the world and it’s been brilliant to see what these clubs are really like.

 

“I’m being honest when I say that it doesn’t really bother me.

 

“It’s the same when I broke into the first team at Livingston, I tried not to think about it.

 

“My dad, who’s also called Matthew, has been the biggest support to me, he’s always at my games and he tries to push me on. He tells me not to worry and to take things as they come.”

 

Livingston are expecting Rangers to double their bid to £150,000 which would be starting point for a side which rates their prize asset far higher and expect English clubs to show their hands in the coming weeks.

 

But Knox admits the speculation over where his future may lie is no clearer as he focused on pulling his weight in trying to ensure his West Lothain club are playing in the Championshiop next season.

 

He said: “Things have gone great for me recently but it’s all a bit frustrating at the moment.

 

“As a young player, you just want everything to happen quickly but I’ll have to wait and see until Livingston have played all their games this season but I don’t know what’s going to happen.

 

“I’m just focused on keeping my head down and doing all I can for Livingston before the season comes to an end.

 

“We have huge games coming up and nothing will be allowed to get in the way of making sure we stay in this league.”

 

Read more at http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-target-matthew-knox-im-7896947#WuYAVAAemeAKQdXb.99

[Rousseau 10,823]

It's not an issue who he supports. If he wants to pull on the blue jersey, that's all that matters. Another non-story.

Edited May 4, 2016 by Rousseau

[colinstein 294]

£750,000.....surely not

I wouldn't be happy if we paid that sort of money for a 16 year old prospect

[ranger_syntax 4,422]

£750,000.....surely not

I wouldn't be happy if we paid that sort of money for a 16 year old prospect

 

I'm sure it is not.

[limeburner 0]

I could be wrong ,but i thought the lira had been decomissioned.

[RANGERRAB 3,742]

Regards theOP, Larsson left the yahoos in 2004 IIRC.

Young Mathew has a superb memory if he can remember him. I wouldn't even have thought he'd have started school

[alexscottislegend 2,375]

I've seen him described a s a midfielder but we are not short in that department. Anyone know his proper position?

[Bearman 9]

Regards theOP, Larsson left the yahoos in 2004 IIRC.

Young Mathew has a superb memory if he can remember him. I wouldn't even have thought he'd have started school

 

Typical DR pish...they print his family are ALL Hearts fans and print that he was a Celtic fan and went to games to watch Larsson? Who took him? Utter pish! Why do they put this out on an unsuspecting public? What sort of person buys this pish?

[pete 2,499]

£750,000.....surely not

I wouldn't be happy if we paid that sort of money for a 16 year old prospect

 

Put your glasses on mate it is 75.000 and Livi want the double of that.

[Frankie 8,663]

With Livi looking likely to be relegated I can't see us upping our offer by much now.

 

PS: He's more of an attacking midfield/second striker at the moment. That's where he played against us and he was certainly effective.