Rangers told they’re leading race to sign “the English Neymar”

Another fresh start, another new manager at Glasgow Rangers, with the Ibrox side poaching Derek McInnes after the failed experiments with Russell Martin and Danny Rohl.

It was as far back as 2017 that the late, great Walter Smith tipped McInnes to be the next Gers boss, following his fine work at Aberdeen, although the 54-year-old’s stock has never been higher following a stellar 2025/26 campaign at Tynecastle.

Already set to be powered by Lawrence Shankland, the experienced Scot will aim to be the first man since Steven Gerrard to lead the Gers to the title, now the sixth permanent boss to take charge since the Englishman’s exit.

If it is to be sixth time lucky, then McInnes will need to be backed in the transfer market, with this squad in need of real surgery this summer.

Rangers told they’re leading the race to sign Premier League starlet

It’s no secret that the Glasgow giants are prioritising Premiership-proven signings this summer, with reports suggesting that they could be in the mix for Motherwell’s World Cup star, Elijah Just.

The 26-year-old Kiwi enjoyed a real breakout 2025/26 campaign in Scottish football, while it was a similar story for Luke Graham at Dundee, with the young Scot firmly putting himself in the shop window.

That deal is expected to be a matter of when and not if, with a formal offer seemingly in the works for the 22-year-old centre-back.

Elsewhere, too, meanwhile, the Gers could look to snap up another young sensation of last season, amid their ongoing bid to bring loan hero, Mikey Moore, back to Ibrox.

According to former Ibrox hero, Kenny Miller, the Light Blues do appear to be at the front of the queue for the teenager’s signature, with uncertainty still rife over what the future holds for the 18-year-old back at Tottenham Hotspur.

“I would be surprised if Rangers are not already all over Moore if there’s going to be another loan deal for him.

“I would be very surprised if Ibrox wasn’t his destination given he spoke so fondly about his time there, how much he enjoyed it and how it’s been a really good spell for his development.

“What a place to be an 18 year old winger, what a place to be plying your trade…. So as I said, I would be surprised if Rangers are not right at the head of that queue to get him back.”

Whether the Gers would be able to strike a permanent deal or merely another loan move remains to be seen, although this is certainly one to watch.

‘The English Neymar’ could be Rangers’ new Ryan Kent

From Malik Tillman, to Abdallah Sima to Vaclav Cerny, Rangers enjoyed a string of fruitful loan moves in recent times, albeit with none of those staying beyond a single season at Ibrox.

One of the few to have stayed on permanently was Ryan Kent under Gerrard’s watch, the ex-Liverpool man first arriving on a temporary basis in the summer of 2018.

A £7m switch followed a year later, with Kent – another fleet-footed, creative winger in the mould of Moore – going on to prove a key part of Gerrard’s side over the next few years, including in the title success.

In 218 games in total, the now free agent racked up 89 goals and assists in a Rangers shirt, 27 of which came in that 2020/21 season, proving so effective both as a goalscorer and a provider off the left flank.

In Moore, another exciting English talent from the Premier League, the Gers appear to have found a perfect successor, someone who could potentially go on to even bigger heights in the coming years.

Indeed, “the English Neymar” – as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – enjoyed a fruitful period under Rohl after an initial slow start under Martin, scoring and assisting 11 goals in all competitions.

For comparison, that record wasn’t too dissimilar to Kent’s year on loan, with the now-29-year-old racking up 15 goal contributions, while scoring six Premiership goals – just one shy of Moore’s return of seven.

That form saw Kent swoop the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award at the end of 2018/19, with Moore following suit by deservedly claiming that gong himself last month.

The teenager, it must be said, was breathtaking at times, not least in the 2-2 draw with Celtic at Ibrox back in March, boasting such a unique, fearless quality to his game despite his relative youth.

Across 2025/26 in the Premiership in general, such ball-carrying prowess was clearly evident, with Moore averaging 1.5 successful dribbles per game, ranking fourth in the division for total successful dribbles too.

For comparison, during the title-winning season, Kent was a game-changer in his own right, averaging 1.9 successful dribbles per outing, thus ranking first in the league in that regard.

The similarities are there to see, yet hopefully Moore will go on to showcase an even higher ceiling, should he stay put one way or another this summer.