Rangers boss Walter Smith is confident Danny Wilson will be unaffected by speculation linking him with a move to the Premier League. The Scottish champions have confirmed Liverpool have inquired about the 18-year-old defender, who has also been linked with Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa.

"I don't think he will be affected by it at all and he doesn't seem to be affected by it," Smith said.

"He's a level-headed boy and that's been seen in the temperament he has shown in coming in and playing at 18 and playing in the manner in which he has done.

"He has played over 20 games for us this season, which is terrific from his point of view.

"I don't think this contractual talk or transfer talk will affect him at all. I don't see that it will be a problem.

"He has succeeded in doing what he wants to do, which is playing in the first team and he is getting a game week in, week out.

"He doesn't seem to be affected by anything other than the challenge of coming up against different opposition every week."

Rangers have been holding talks with his agent for some time and had been hopeful that Wilson would follow the lead of fellow youngster John Fleck by signing a new contract.

He said: "We are in negotiations with his agent to try and get him to stay and we have been for a little bit of time. Hopefully it will get settled quite soon.

"Liverpool have expressed an interest in him but we said that we don't want to let the player go so he hasn't got an offer yet."

Wilson is once again set to deputise for the injured Madjid Bougherra in the heart of defence against Aberdeen in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League on Wednesday night.

Smith added: "I would take it that, when he joined Rangers, he wanted to get a game in the first team.

"He is maybe getting a lot more games than he imagined he would this season but he has deserved it and he has played exceptionally well for us.

"He is a young lad who is starting out and enjoying his football at the moment by the looks of things. That's where we are."