Bailey Rice has joined Rangers for an undisclosed fee, after turning down the offer of a professional contract with Motherwell.
Motherwell say they were able to promote nine of 10 proposed graduates from a 'much-coveted' 2006 squad, despite "significant interest from big clubs on both sides of the border", but midfielder Rice, 15, has opted to join the Ibrox club.
Fir Park academy director Stevie Hammell told the club's website: "Although it's disappointing to lose Bailey at this stage of his development, we respect is decision.
"On the flip side though, we are absolutely delighted that so many of the group we had earmarked for graduation into our professional set-up have placed their trust in us and the pathway we think we can provide to first-team football.
"We have already seen so many of them train and integrate with the first-team squad in the first week of pre-season, and that's something that should not only give them all encouragement, but additional hunger and desire to kick on."
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