Barry Ferguson has delivered his verdict on Rangers making an important signing in the summer transfer window.
Rangers had a busy January transfer window, with the hierarchy backing Danny Rohl in his quest to secure the SPFL title.
The Ibrox outfit are now just three points behind Hearts on the SPFL table, but they also have to deal with the threat from their arch rivals Celtic.
A 5-1 win against Kilmarnock would certainly boost morale inside the dressing room ahead of a Scottish Cup game against Queen’s Park on Sunday.
Barry Ferguson delivers verdict on Mikey Moore’s impact at Rangers
Barry Ferguson, as a club legend and former interim manager, will undoubtedly always be looking out for the Govan outfit.
He knows the culture of Rangers and, as manager, has seen the problems behind the scenes; he knows better than most the best way to solve them.
The 48-year-old was blown away by Mikey Moore’s performance in the aforementioned win against Kilmarnock on Wednesday night.
Moore, who is on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, played the full 90 minutes for the Gers on the left wing and put in his best performance for the club since his summer move.
The 18-year-old scored one, assisted another, and in total, created five chances for his teammates all game.
Ferguson admits that had he been at the club, he would have rung up Spurs to negotiate a deal for next season right away.
Ferguson told the Daily Record: “It’s time to have a conversation about Mikey Moore. And I mean that quite literally.
“If it was down to me, I’d be on the blower to Spurs this morning asking to have that chat. And while I fully understand there will probably be a lot of ‘ifs, buts, and maybes’ around the discussion, I’d be making a very strong case for the two clubs agreeing another 12-month loan deal to keep the young man in Glasgow next season.
“Obviously, the guys at Tottenham will have their own thoughts on what the future should hold. It’s not even certain that Thomas Frank will still be in the manager’s seat next season so there’s a lot to factor in.
“But, even so, there’s a very strong argument to be made that the best thing for Moore’s development would be signing on for one more year at Rangers.
“Of course, they might want him back down the road as soon as possible. They may have their own plans for him because they clearly believe he’s destined for big things. And they’re right about that.
“But if their idea involves Moore going back onto the fringes of their squad next season, then there’s also a danger that it will stall his growth.”
Ferguson does not see Moore moving to Ibrox permanently
In Ferguson’s view, the Ibrox outfit may not be able to afford a permanent transfer, but another season-long loan would benefit all parties, and the Premier League club would have a readymade starter 18 months from now.
He has been impressed with the teenager’s overall development since he moved to Scotland, and believes another year would only do him wonders.
Ferguson continued: “So give him 12 more months and, by the time Spurs get him back, I’d almost guarantee he’ll be ready to walk straight into the first team. And stay there.
“When I think back to the start of the season, the difference I see in this kid now is quite incredible.
“Forget about buying him permanently. That simply isn’t going to happen.
“Premier League clubs are paying fees of around £40m or £50m for players who struggle to get a game these days, so I wouldn’t even attempt to put a price on Moore’s head at this moment. It would be a waste of time.”
How can Rangers convince Moore to rejoin in the summer?
As Ferguson rightly points out, Moore would benefit from playing regularly for another season, and that, in turn, would benefit Tottenham.
At 20, they would get someone who has a decent amount of European experience, has played regularly for two seasons, potentially won a few trophies, and will have the maturity to deal with the expectations of a big-six Premier League side.
He will have perfected playing in a number of positions and could even have the manager look to sign players to get the best out of him.
Should Moore return to Spurs at the end of the season, he would be a squad player, whereas if he stays at Ibrox, he will undoubtedly remain a first-team regular.
