Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale may only be a matter of weeks into the job at Ibrox although the Englishman already appears keen to put his stamp on things, with the 42-year-old seemingly making plans for the long-term at present.

That has been evidenced by the fact that the up-and-coming manager is believed to be overseeing a new contract for 18-year-old starlet, Leon King, with The Athletic reporting that the Rangers centre-back is close to sealing a four-year deal to keep him in Glasgow for the foreseeable future.

The academy graduate has begun to establish himself in the first team this season after making 11 Scottish Premiership appearances and also featuring in all six Champions League group stage games, with such an impact having even sparked reported interest from Europe’s top clubs.

This latest news that a contract extension is on the cards should well ease those fears over a departure, with it looking likely that King will now remain with the Light Blues over the next few years.

Having already had 18 months to run on his existing deal at the club, however, there is perhaps less urgency to get the defender tied down to a new deal compared to other members of the squad, with the future of Malik Tillman potentially a more pressing issue as far as Beale is concerned.

The United States international joined the Old Firm outfit on a season-long loan deal from Bayern Munich over the summer, although it remains to be seen if the Gers will trigger the buy option included as part of that switch for a fee of around €7m (£6m).

Beale himself has only recently outlined his desire to get that permanent agreement wrapped up, with the former Queen’s Park Rangers boss having stated:

“We’re lucky to have him playing here in Scotland. He’s just 20 and I think he’s got a huge future in front of him – hopefully for this football club.

“It’s a pretty obvious one. I really like Malik. He is a fantastic talent. He wants to play slightly higher. We’re going to give him the freedom to run out of that midfield and get into the positions he was in today.

“You can see what he could grow into. He’s the exact type of player that we want at this football club. I don’t know the exact fee, I don’t know where we’re going to go and get it from, but if we can do it, I would definitely sign Malik Tillman, yes.”

While the 20-year-old has faced criticism for his form so far this term – having been dubbed a “frustrating figure” by pundit Neil McCann – the American gem has received notable backing from those at the club, with teammate John Lundstram dubbing him “one of the best young talents I have seen”.

That quality has been evident in flashes during his time in Glasgow thus far, with the four-cap dynamo having scored four goals and provided three assists in 23 games this term, including five goal contributions in only 13 league outings.

There may be a need to find greater consistency in his game, although that will likely come with the German-born star earning a more prominent role in the side over an extended period, something which would well be aided if his future is secured beyond the end of this season.

With Beale’s recent praise suggesting that the playmaker could have a big part to play in the remainder of the campaign, it could well be a real masterstroke to get a permanent move wrapped sooner rather than later, helping to end any speculation as the season progresses.