West Brom reject £4million bid from Leeds for teenage striker Tyler Roberts as Rangers and Marseille monitor situation

WEST BROM have rejected a £4million bid from Leeds United for young striker Tyler Roberts.

The Championship side have joined Scottish giants Rangers in the chase for the highly-rated forward who becomes a free agent in the summer.

Leeds boss Thomas Christiansen has earmarked the forward as a vital addition to his promotion chasing squad this term and one for the future in the Premier League.

Roberts is on loan at West Midland neighbours Walsall and the Baggies are desperate to tie the 19-year-old prospect down to a new deal at the Hawthorns.

Rangers initially made contact about the taking the forward North of the border on loan.

Gers boss Graeme Murty then offered the kid a permanant deal as a free agent in the summer seeing Roberts as a long-term fixture at Ibrox next season and landing one of the brightest prospects in the Football League.

The Premier League side are running out of time to agree a new deal with the in-demand forward.

Roberts has plenty of options and can sign a pre-contract with Rangers or French giants Marseille who are also monitoring his situation for a cut price compensation fee of £300,000.

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Sources close the Wales Under-21 star have stressed how important the next step in his career is and the forward is keen to maintain the momentum he currently has by playing regular football.

The fact that the Baggies have rebuffed the Yorkshire side could suggest Roberts may have a role to play as Alan Pardew plots his relegation escape route.