Celtic and Rangers told to target transfer for ex Hearts kid lighting up EFL

Marc Leonard has been lighting up the EFL for two seasons - so much so that Celtic and Rangers have been told to go and sign him.

The midfielder, 22, left Hearts for Brighton three years and has since had two loan spells at Northampton. He first joined them in League Two where he helped the Cobblers to promotion before heading back there for their League One campaign. Leonard has played every game and dazzled at that higher level, attracting interest from English Championship sides.

But Northampton manager Jon Brady has told the Scottish Premiership's big two they should be taking a look at the young Scot who has five goals and one assist from midfield this season. Brady is backing Leonard to have a top career so now could be the time for either side of the Old Firm to strike.

He told the Daily Record: "I feel for the here and now and for the longer term I would say Marc Leonard is one that both Rangers and Celtic should be looking at.

"I know both teams have a lot of talent in the midfield but Marc is an outstanding young Scottish player. I believe he can go all the way to the top and if Rangers or Celtic were to come in for him then I feel he has the talent to flourish for either side.

“He is beyond us now and rightly so. There is a lot of interest in him from the English Championship. Certainly with the ability he has, for me, he has to be testing himself, at least in the Championship. He would be a huge asset to any team in that league.

“The improvement in him has been scary. He came as a very good technical player but now he has gone up so many levels. “He has risen to every challenge we gave him and in the end, he was just grabbing games by the scruff of the neck and being a real difference maker. He came as a young player but has left Northampton as a man.”