Rangers manager Danny Rohl insists he will ‘try everything’ in his power to bring Mikey Moore back to the club next season.
The 18-year-old has been one of few bright sparks in what has been a forgettable campaign for the Ibrox side over the past nine months having made the move on loan from Spurs last summer.
The travelling supporters chanted Moore’s name at the full-time whistle following their 5-2 win at Falkirk on Saturday afternoon, and Rohl is hopeful that it won’t be the last they see of the talented winger in a Rangers shirt.
‘We are very clear as a club with what we want with Mikey but there are three parties,’ he said.
‘We are just one of them. Mikey fits really well here and I totally believe we can get him to the next level as well.
‘Also, his relationship with Tuur [Rommens] next season could give us a strong left side.
Youssef Chermiti of Rangers celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal with Mikey Moore
‘But we have to do a lot of things right now.
‘We have to be patient with Mikey but also on the front foot. We’re clear and we will try everything.
‘Maybe if there’s a chance and it makes sense to wait for him, we will wait.
‘But if you ask me, I want to have him straight from pre-season when I prepare my team for a good start to the season.
‘That’s important because we can’t allow ourselves to come so far from behind.
‘We have to start really well and strong. We have to work hard to get a great start.’
Youssef Chermiti netted a hat-trick at the Falkirk stadium to take his Premiership tally to 13 for the season.
The Portuguese front man has been linked with a return to his homeland this weekend, with Porto reportedly showing some interest, but Rohl insists he is going nowhere.
He said: ‘No question [that Chermiti will be staying].
‘Youssef has quality and he gives me a lot of hope that he’ll be here straight from the first day next season.
‘He’s needed a bit of time to settle in but in the second half of the season, he’s done a great job.
‘We need to keep a core. It’s important to continue with that but also important to have fresh blood and energy with new players.’
Rohl admits it’s been a challenging year both on and off the pitch, but has promised fans that his side will be ready to hit the ground running when the first ball is kicked in the new season.
‘It’s been an emotional rollercoaster,’ he admitted. ‘Four weeks ago here, I was totally convinced that we could win the league.
‘But we couldn’t. The gap was too big and there were too many defeats.
‘I will take all the information and see what we have to improve.
‘I’ll come back in four weeks with a lot of energy for the new season.
‘Rangers is a big job, a demanding job. That’s the reason why I like to be here because I demand a lot from myself.
‘After these games, I will be a better manager than before.’
Falkirk manager John McGlynn is bracing himself to say goodbye to two of his star men during the transfer window.
Barney Stewart and Calvin Miller have both played an integral part in securing a top-six finish for the Bairns on their return to the top flight, and McGlynn isn’t surprised they are in demand.
‘We’ve had fair offers from two or three clubs for Barney,’ he said. ‘It’s very early yet so we don’t feel any rush because other offers might come in.
‘If we were to get a certain amount of money for Barney it would go on a grass park and we need training facilities which is where some of that money will go to.
‘I’d still expect more offers. Whether it’s enough for the board to accept I’m not sure.
‘At 28 if Calvin doesn’t get a move he’s running out of time. I’d like him to get into the Scotland [World Cup] squad because he’s a very useful player who can play a number of positions.
‘I’ve expected offers and it hasn’t happened. I don’t want to lose Calvin but every club is a selling club.
‘We might not need to sell them now because we have a couple of bob in the bank. We’ve done well to make a substantial profit this year.’
