Rangers can forget signing Moore by unleashing their “answer to Leo Messi”

Mikey Moore continues to impress for Glasgow Rangers after he scored in the 4-1 win over Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox on Saturday.

The 18-year-old forward scored for the sixth time in the league this season when he found the bottom corner after being fed the ball through by Ryan Naderi.

Moore has now scored six goals and provided three assists in 40 appearances for the Light Blues in all competitions this season, with all of his goals coming in the Premiership.

The England youth international has established himself as a key player for Danny Rohl, typically playing on the left flank, and he will be hoping to end the campaign with some silverware to show for his efforts.

Rangers signed the teenage winger on loan until the end of the season last summer, and they do not have an option to make the deal permanent ahead of next term.

What Mikey Moore has said about staying at Rangers

After the win against Aberdeen, Moore revealed that he would be open to returning to Ibrox for a second spell, although it was unclear if he meant on loan or permanently.

When asked about a return to Rangers, he said: “I don’t know if there’s been much club-to-club contact yet but I know that people spoke to me and the people around me, so conversations are happening.

“I’m going to speak to people and just try and find the best solution for me. But this has been unbelievable and if it’s right for me next year, then I’d love to stay here, but we have to see what’s going on.”

Rohl also said that “conversations are always there” when asked about a second deal for Moore, which suggests that both parties are interested in another deal.

However, that does not mean that Spurs are open to doing a deal and it remains to be seen whether or not they would be willing to let him leave again, or if they would prefer to use him as part of their squad next season.

If the Premier League side decide to keep the forward, Rohl and Rangers can forget all about a deal for Moore by unleashing a current player in his place.

How Rangers could replace Mikey Moore

Instead of dipping into the market to spend millions of pounds on a potential replacement for Spurs loanee, if he does not return to Ibrox, there is a player in the current squad who could excel on the left flank.

Rangers swooped to bolster their squad with the signing of Oliver Antman from Go Ahead Eagles for a fee of £3.5m last summer, but he has failed to establish himself as a regular starter on the right wing.

He has delivered one goal and three assists in 24 appearances as a right winger for the Light Blues, with another assist in an SFA Cup clash with Queen’s Park, in which he started on the left wing and played at right-back in the second half.

Antman, though, could be unlocked by Rohl if the German head coach gives him a run of games on the left flank, where Moore has been playing, because he has shown potential in that role at international level.

Back in November, the winger started on the left wing for Finland against Andorra and scored an excellent goal, opening up his body to bend the ball into the bottom corner with his right foot.

That is the kind of goal that he cannot score for Rangers as a right winger because he cannot open his body up to shoot on his favoured foot on that side, which may be why he has only scored one goal for the club this season.

Antman also showcased his creativity in that game against Andorra, creating two ‘big chances’ and completing four dribbles, which suggests that his creative skills would not be dampened by moving away from the right wing.

The right-footed starwas described as “Finland’s answer to Leo Messi” by journalist Chris Jack, who revealed that the forward had previously been scouted by Barcelona.

Rangers supporters may not see the comparison to Messi based on what he has shown so far, as a right-footed right winger, but playing him on the left could lead to far more exciting results, as evidenced by his performance against Andorra.

Playing on the left as a right-footed player would open up so many more opportunities for Antman, as it does for Messi as a left-footer who typically plays on the right, rather than him being restricted on the right wing.

That is why Rohl should give the Finnish star more chances to play on the left to see if he can deliver consistent quality and add more goals to his game in that position, as he has the potential to allow the club to forget all about doing another deal for Moore in that position.

He currently ranks sixth in the Premiership for assists per 90 (0.3) and first for key passes per 90 (2.45). Now, imagine if he can maintain that level of creative threat whilst adding a consistent supply of goals by cutting in on his right foot from the left. It could make him a dangerous option for Rangers to call upon.