Connor Young completes move to Rangers as Hibs reveal details of forward's transfer

Hibs development squad forward Connor Young has completed a move to Rangers, signing a three-year deal.

The Evening News revealed that the 17-year-old, who hit 25 goals for the Easter Road side’s under-18s last season as they won the CAS Elite Under-18 League, was on the verge of joining the Light Blues for a five-figure fee after they had been impressed with his displays in green and white.

Hibs have confirmed the transfer, and agreed a sizeable sell-on fee as part of the deal, while Young will join up with his new team-mates in Prague to compete in the Plzen Tournament.

Young has been with Hibs since the age of 14 and a full-time player since August 2020, and has been on Rangers’ radar for some time.

He was slated to be part of the Capital club’s development side this season, scoring five goals in two pre-season friendly victories over Tranent Juniors and Preston Athletic.

Hibs Academy Director Steve Kean revealed the performance of the under-18s last season had led to interest from north and south of the Border.

Kean added: “Connor was part of a very successful under-18 side last season, and scored a lot of goals, so it’s no surprise that there has been interest in him.

Connor Young in action for the Hibs development team against Tranent Juniors. Picture: Maurice Dougan

“Last season there were a number of scouts from Scotland and England watching our games, which is testament to the young players we have in the Academy and the coaching curriculum that we’re offering at Hibs.”

Kean also suggested that fellow forward Ethan Laidlaw and Josh O’Connor would benefit from Young’s departure.

“Connor’s departure allows those two to have a clearer pathway towards the first team,” he explained.

“We’re really excited about the potential that Ethan and Josh have. Ethan was away with Scotland Under-17s this summer for the Euros, and Josh made a cameo appearance for the first team last season away at Aberdeen. They’re both pacy strikers who love to get in-behind defences and cause opposition players problems.

“We received a very good amount for Connor, alongside his sell-on, and that allows us to give more opportunities to Ethan and Josh.

"We have a strong belief that if they can continue their upward trajectory, they have every chance to be first-team players in the future."