OLDHAM Athletic face a battle to keep hold of rising star George Edmundson this summer.

The 21-year-old academy graduate, who was an ever-present for the Latics last season is attracting attention from several clubs – including Scottish giants Rangers.

It is believed the club have already rejected a bid for him from an unnamed suitor as interest intensifies just days after the end of the season.

He is reportedly drawing the attention of Rangers, Preston, Hull, Stoke, Fleetwood and Sunderland after appearing in 54 games last season and winning the players’ player of the season award.

Edmundson has another year left to run on his current deal at Boundary Park but it’s believed he’s more likely to be sold, if the club’s valuation is met, this summer.

Meanwhile, Edmundson's central defensive partner in 2018/19, Peter Clarke, leads the list of senior players released by the Latics at the end of the season at the end of their contracts.

Captain Clarke and midfielders Jose Baxter and Dan Gardner are the headline names on the Latics’ retained list which was released last week.

Skipper Clarke turned 37 in January but was a mainstay in the heart of the defence, making 49 appearances and scoring six goals as Oldham finished 14th in League Two.

Former Everton man Baxter returned to Boundary Park last summer looking to rebuild his career, the 27-year-old having had a spell at Goodison Park with the Toffees Under-23s after a drugs ban.

He made 34 appearances and scored four goals last season.

Gardner is being linked with a move back to Chesterfield that would see him reunited with John Sheridan.

The midfielder made 25 appearances before his season was ended in November by a knee injury.

Sheridan’s son Jay, a 19-year-old defender, is also among those to be released, having not made a senior appearance for Latics.

Experienced left-back Andy Taylor, aged 33, also departs having made 19 appearances in his solitary season with the club.

Midfielder Chinedu Uche leaves with his only appearance having come off the bench in the final day 5-2 defeat against Northampton.

Spanish striker Urko Vera completes the list of those released, having scored one goal in his eight appearances since arriving in January after previously playing in La Liga with Athletic Bilbao before spells in Romania for CFR Cluj and Astra Giurgiu.

Loanees Callum Lang, Daniel Iversen, Alex Iacovitti, Zak Dearnley and Dapo Afolayan have returned to their parent clubs at the end of their spells at Boundary Park.

The club have taken up options on the contracts of forward Johan Branger-Engone, who scored five goals last season, and French midfielder Christopher Missilou, who made 50 appearances in all competitions.

They remain in negotiations with striker Jonathan Benteke, midfielder Mohamed Maouche, winger Gevaro Nepomuceno and goalkeeper Zeus De la Paz.

Edmundson, Giles Coke, Tom Hamer, Rob Hunt, Chris O’Grady, Harry Robinson, Sonhy Sefil, Jamie Stott, Javid Swaby-Neavin and Mohamad Sylla are all under contract for next season.