Glasgow Rangers could have managed to win without Mikey Moore in that impressive second half on Sunday, although there can be no question that the 18-year-old remains a key player in Danny Rohl’s title-chasing machine at Ibrox.
Having been in doubt before the game, the youngster was taken off as a precautionary measure during the weekend break, before suggesting after the game that he was determined to return to full fitness to “give it his all” to run.
Up to six goals in the Premiership this season, all of which have come since Rohl replaced the hot Russell Martin, Moore has been a fake for the Gers, which has given rise to the hope of a long stay in Scotland as we move into next season.
|
Moore – 25/26 statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Competition |
Games |
Terms (Help) |
|
The SPFL |
28 |
6 (2) |
|
EL |
7 |
0 (0) |
|
The Scottish Cup |
3 |
0 (0) |
|
League Cup |
3 |
0 (1) |
|
Eligibility for UCL |
1 |
0 (0) |
|
Total |
42 |
6 (3) |
Without talking about a possible permanent deal, the possibility – as Moore himself recently admitted – to return to parent club Tottenham Hotspur this summer, ensures that a suitable replacement will be needed.
Rangers could sign Moore’s replacement in a £5m deal
With 14 goals scored in the last three league games, after scoring six against Falkirk on Sunday, everything seems to be coming together in an attacking sense from Rohl’s side.
That said, with Moore likely to return to north London, and there is little to suggest that the Gers will pay £8m plus a fee for another loanee, Andreas Skov Olsen, further reinforcements will be needed in that department next season.
With that in mind, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Ibrox bosses were to follow up their interest in England youngster Joe Gelhardt, with the Hull City loanee having been in the news for the past week or so.
Rangers now have a “big” chance of signing the £40k-a-week South American striker
The Gers are looking for a central midfielder.
As reported last week by Football Insider, the 23-year-old is believed to be “keen” to join the Glasgow giants as he hopes to play European football, with the Premiership side considered to be the “best” as far as things go.
Currently on loan at the Tigers for the second time, Gelhardt has just one year left on his current deal with parent club Leeds United, ensuring he could be in the market for an expensive move.
Indeed, it has been suggested that Leeds would be willing to accept a bid of around £5m, well below the club’s potential record fee if Rohl and co tempt Moore to stay permanently.
How did Gelhardt compare to Moore this season
Gelhardt, a former Wigan Athletic and Leeds star, knows all about the struggle to shake off that ‘wonderkid’ tag, having never started at Elland Road after bursting onto the scene under Marcelo Bielsa.
That said, despite scoring just three goals in 57 appearances for Yorkshire, the last 18 months at Hull have been more productive, as the left-footer finally begins to reach his sky-high power.
Previously hailed as a “wrecking ball” by Bielsa, the Liverpool-born mark has scored 18 goals in 57 appearances for the Tigers, following a torrid 2025/26 campaign.
Like Moore, he is comfortable operating on the flanks – or on the right – or in a central role, which is proving to be a formidable starter, with 13 goals in the Championship so far.
That eclipses Moore’s record at Ibrox, with Gelhardt benefiting from a prolific goalscoring run before Christmas, scoring eight in ten between mid-October and early December.
Only three goals have followed in 2026, following a short spell on the sidelines, but it’s hard to ignore the impact the £5m man has made of late, most painfully when he cuts off his favored foot.
Not only has he bettered Moore in goals, but he has also tallied double the number of assists in a league game this season, while just behind in terms of effective dribbling per game (1.3 vs 1.4).
The main advantage may also be Gelhardt’s superior defensive contribution, averaging 1.9 tackles and blocks per game, ahead of the youth record of 0.9.
With a goal every 195 minutes, ahead of Moore’s figure of one every 298 minutes, he is Leeds’ most dangerous striker, ensuring he will add real fire to a forward line where only Youssef Chermiti has reached double figures in league goals this season.
With Gelhardt also only 23 years old, this could be a long-term move as far as the Rangers are concerned.
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