ASTON Villa have become the first Premier League club to try and snap up ex-Rangers winger Gregg Wylde on a free transfer – and they could soon be joined by Wanderers.

Villa boss Alex McLeish is understood to have contacted the 20-year-old’s representatives, although Owen Coyle hinted he could follow suit before the deadline for registering players at the end of this month.

As The Bolton News revealed this week, Wanderers would require special dispensation from FIFA to sign the Scotland Under-21 international, who agreed with administrators to terminate his Ibrox contract and become a free agent.

And Coyle, who tried to lure Wylde to the Reebok in August, did not write off the idea that he will again get involved with the bidding.

“It’s fair to say he’s a very good player – he’s quick, he’s young and talented,” he said. “There will be a number of clubs interested in a player of that calibre.

“I have not spoken to anyone regarding Gregg yet. Whether that changes, who knows? But at this point in time we haven’t acted upon it, and I use the word ‘yet’ just in case we do.

“It’s something we’ll have look at and a think about.”