Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy was offered to Rangers on a free transfer last summer
The Record reports that Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy was offered to Rangers on a free transfer last summer, but the Ibrox club turned down the offer. Mooy has since flourished at Celtic.
Mooy, 32 years old, spent two years playing for Shanghai Port in the Chinese Super League before leaving for free last summer. After leaving Australia, he joined Celtic and reconnected with Ange Postecoglou, his former coach. The veteran’s £23k-a-week midfielder’s performance has improved as a result.
In 35 games this season, he has contributed six goals and nine assists for Celtic. This despite appearing in just 18 of the team’s 35 games as a starter and making 17 more appearances off the bench.
Keith Jackson of the Record reports that Rangers were given the opportunity to sign Mooy for free. The allure of Postecoglou at Rangers’ Old Firm opponents seemed to have sealed the deal for Mooy.
Jackson states categorically that Rangers did not think he was a good fit for the team or for the kind of player the club typically recruits. The Gers’ inconsistency in the middle of the field, coupled with Mooy’s stellar play for the home team, has made that decision seem foolish.
Having Mooy on the Rangers’ side right now would mean the world to them. The Gers have, in fact, recently offloaded many central midfielders. It’s obvious that players like Glen Kamara, Ryan Jack, and John Lundstram don’t have impressive offensive records.
It’s a major weakness for the Rangers at Ibrox. They have to find a way to score in the middle of the field and they need to be more inventive. When I see Rangers play, it looks like the middle is more of a motor and the team gets its spark from elsewhere. It was a blunder on the part of the Rangers. It’s true that Ross Wilson has taken some heat this year for the team’s lacklustre performance in comparison to its potential given the talent level that was not added to the roster during the summer. Greg Taylor, on the other side, thinks Mooy is “unbelievable” and notes that he was a World Cup hero for Australia.
