Alex MacQuoid
Aston Villa are reportedly moving toward a formal approach for Rangers midfielder Bailey Rice, with the 19-year-old set to leave the Scottish club when his contract expires at the end of June.
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Unai Emery‘s side are still chasing Champions League qualification with two Premier League matches remaining, sitting fifth after Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Burnley. Alongside that push, the club must structure any summer business around compliance with both Premier League and UEFA financial regulations. A recent report suggested one of Villa’s current midfielders will not feature in the 2026-27 squad, creating a direct need for reinforcement in that area.
According to Football Insider, Emery is targeting Rice to address that gap.
Rice’s Career Path at Rangers
Rice has made just one senior appearance this season after suffering a knee injury, but across his time at Rangers he has accumulated 16 first-team outings covering 472 minutes of action. Those appearances include a 45-minute outing away to Manchester United in a 2-1 defeat in January 2025, and a 67-minute showing in a Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Bilbao. Being trusted in matches of that weight at 19 signals that the club’s coaching staff saw real quality in him.
Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest are also linked with the Scotland Under-19 international, meaning Villa face competition for his signature.
“There are clubs willing to take that gamble on Rice. He’s been talked about for a long time now and is a very highly regarded player in Scotland. He’s got huge potential and that’s probably why you’ve got this interest in him from the Premier League because they see his potential and they’ll be hoping that they can tap into that and bring out the best in him.” — Pete O’Rourke, Football Insider Podcast
The Risk Calculation
Nine months away from top-flight action at a critical stage of his development means any signing club accepts meaningful uncertainty. The expectation, should a Premier League side secure him, is that Rice would spend a season on loan before being considered for first-team duties. The compensation fee will also shape who ultimately wins the race.
The limited senior minutes are a legitimate concern, but the fact that Rangers deployed him in a Europa League quarter-final and a fixture at Old Trafford underlines his standing at the club. Whichever team moves first and structures the deal correctly stands to secure a player with clear upside at a relatively low cost.
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