Celtic and Rangers target highly-rated EPL duo amid Pep Guardiola praise and Neymar comparison

According to reports, the Old Firm rivals are looking to plunder the loan market for two up and coming young talents who made their major breakthrough in the English top flight last season.

Celtic are said to be lining up a loan move for Manchester City defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey. The 19-year-old centre-back stepped into the City defence last season due to injury problems, making six first-team appearances including two in the Champions League - and earned praise from head coach Pep Guardiola. The England youth international was also named EPL 2 Player of the Year after captaining the Man City reserves to the title.

Speaking about Simpson-Pusey after a 2-1 defeat to Brighton, Guardiola said: "The guy played really good, the young lad again, with this composure and duels and everything was good. It’s not easy for him.

“Normally the young lads, they must come in with support from the team, with Rodri in front of them, right? With the best Kyle [Walker], and defenders, and now we support him.

“Now he’s playing in a position that is difficult for him, but he performed unbelievably. We have a central defender to help us for the future, for the next years. I’m really pleased. Always there is good news when the situation goes bad, and this is one of them.”

Rangers target earns ‘Neymar’ tag

Meanwhile, Rangers are reportedly leading the race to sign Tottenham Hotspur winger Mikey Moore, who made history last season when he became the youngest-ever English goalscorer in a major European competition at 17 years and 172 days old after netting in a 3-0 win over Elfsborg.

He made 19 appearances for Spurs last term - including 10 games in the EPL - and was an unused substitute as Ange Postecoglou's side beat Man Utd 1-0 in the Europa League final.

There has been plenty interest in the England Under-19 international - with Championship sides Birmingham and West Brom also linked - but the Daily Telegraph state that Rangers have 'emerged as favourites' to sign Moore on loan.

Speaking about Moore after an electric display against AZ Alkmaar in Europe last season, former boss Postecoglou said: “I was going to try to downplay it, but apparently Madders [James Maddison] has called him Neymar, so that’s blown that out of the water!

“The beauty of Mikey is that I know it won’t affect him at all. He’s such a mature young man. It was exciting. Every time we were on the ball I was willing the boys to pass it to him as well, because he’s got that ability to go past people, which is the hardest thing to do in our game, apart from scoring goals. If he’s not successful, it doesn’t faze him, he’ll just go again.

“He’s just turned 17, but even physically, he’s such a strong young man, and I know he’ll get better. He was brilliant, but he’s been brilliant every time he’s played for us, we just have to be careful how we use him and when we use him because, for us, he’s going to be a pretty special player. If he keeps performing like that, everything else takes care of itself.”