Former Rangers star Craig Moore has named four players he reckons his former club could have signed last summer - including Celtic star Aaron Mooy.
Midfielder Mooy has been a standout at Parkhead this season since arriving at Ange Postecoglou's side as a free agent, but had been training in the blue half of the city under then-boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst to ramp up his fitness before agreeing a Celtic contract. Moore had opened the door for Mooy to ramp up his fitness at the Rangers Training Centre after being contract by Socceroos fitness guru Andrew Clark, who was concerned about his pre-World Cup levels.
With talk ramping up over Michael Beale's overhaul of the squad at the end of the campaign, Moore detailed some of the players he believes could have made a switch to Ibrox last summer. He name-checked Lewis Ferguson, Martin Boyle and Josh Doig alongside Mooy as he urged the club to steer clear of the costly English market.
“It’s as if Rangers want to go leaner," he told Go Radio. "Let's say players one through to 16 are your starting XI players, then you start to have a few of those fringe players.
"The likes of your Alex Lowry, Adam Devine and Robbie Ure are right up Michael Beale’s street in terms of a coach that can develop players. You still need to be able to spend money, but Celtic haven’t spent loads and loads of money.
"They have tried and tested a (Cameron) Carter-Vickers then spent the money, same with Jota. They have used the Japanese market. It has not been hugely expensive.
“Rangers just need to be better in the market, because it hasn’t been a success. That is where the improvement needs to be made.
“I think you have got to look at different markets other than the UK, because the UK is too expensive. Domestically, Lewis Ferguson was one. Martin Boyle was in Saudi and it wasn’t working out, and Rangers were crying out for a right winger. I don’t know why that didn’t get to a different level." Fellow pundit Mark Guidi brought up former Hibs talent Doig, before Moore added: "Josh Doig is another.”
Host Paul Cooney also brought up that Aaron Mooy was recommended to Rangers by Moore, having trained at Auchenhowie before a move to Celtic. Moore went on: “Unfortunately I shake my head every time I see him play well for Celtic.”
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