The Scotsman

Manager was keen for teenage striker to remain at Tynecastle

Sign up to our Football newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has wished James Wilson all the best after his loan switch to Tottenham Hotspur - but he believes the teenage striker “is better than academy football” and has not made the right move.

Wilson, 18, has been out of the first-team picture this season at Hearts, with the Tynecastle club currently top of the Premiership with 13 matches remaining. He has fallen down the pecking order and is behind the likes of Lawrence Shankland, Claudio Braga, Landry Kabore and Elton Kabangu.

A Scotland internationalist, Wilson was linked with Arsenal on deadline day before Spurs swooped in. He will play for their PL2 team for the rest of the season and Thomas Frank’s side have the option to purchase him at the end of the campaign.

“James wanted to go, that has to be said,” explained McInnes after watching Hearts lose 1-0 at St Mirren on Tuesday night. “So you don't want to keep a player who then becomes unhappy. I couldn't guarantee him minutes, such as the way it's been.

"I told him, and his agent knew that our preference was to stay, fight for your place, be part of something, get you a loan in Scotland if need be, if you need to top your minutes up and we can maybe recall you. So you still get the best of both worlds.

"But his head was turned with the Tottenham thing. First of all it was Arsenal, then Arsenal went quiet and then all of a sudden Tottenham came to the table on Tuesday afternoon.

"I don't think it's the right move for him. Ultimately, it's academy football and I think he's better than that. But it was something James wanted to do.

"So like I say, we made it clear that our preference was for him to stay and be part of something here. But he made the decision and I hope it goes well for him because he's a great kid and we'll see how it plays out.

"But for us, I just need to concentrate on the players who are here and who want to be here and who want to play their part."

Hearts have confirmed that the teenage striker has completed a deadline day transfer to the English Premier League.

Sign up to our Football newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Hearts have confirmed the surprise deadline day departure of 18-year-old striker James Wilson to English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

The Scotland international has signed an initial loan deal until the end of the season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with an option of a permanent transfer this summer after Thomas Frank’s side edged out rivals Arsenal in the race for the Gorgie teenager’s signature on Monday afternoon.

Wilson’s arrival in North London completes a whirlwind day for the young frontman that started with Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano confirming that Mikel Arteta’s table-topping Arsenal side had ‘opened discussions’ with Hearts over a shock move for the player, and ended in him arriving at their Europa League-winning rivals just minutes before the English transfer deadline shut at 7pm.

“We are delighted to announce the signing of James Wilson on loan from Heart of Midlothian for the remainder of the season, with an option to make the move permanent in the summer.” said Tottenham Hotspur in a short statement following the confirmation of Wilson’s arrival.

Signing his first professional contract at Tynecastle in the summer of 2023, he exploded onto the scene last season after being handed an opportunity to shine by former head coach Neil Critchley. Famously scoring a late equaliser for Hearts in a 1-1 derby draw against Hibs at Easter Road in October 2024, he bagged six goals in all competitions in his breakthrough season.

Rewarded with a call-up to Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad in March of last year, he became the youngest player to represent the national team when he made his debut off the bench during the Nations League play-off defeat to Greece at Hampden Park.

However, the starlet has been starved of regular first-team action since the arrival of Derek McInnes as head coach in the summer, making just one league start this season, leading to his departure to Spurs on deadline day.

“The 18-year-old heads south to join the English Premier League outfit’s U21 side until the end of this season, subject to international clearance and Scottish FA approval,” Hearts said in a statement via their official website. “The terms of the loan move include an option to buy, for an undisclosed fee, on Spurs’ part.

“James rose to prominence last season with an Edinburgh derby strike and went on to win a full Scotland cap. He’s pulled on the maroon jersey on 45 occasions, scoring eight goals. Everyone at Hearts wishes James the best of luck at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.”

Welcome to your one-stop shop for all the deadline day transfers, reports, and rumours as we tick towards 11pm on deadline day!

We are set for a whirlwind day in the Scottish Premiership, with Celtic, Hearts, Hibs and Rangers all eyeing some last minute transfer deals, and we’ll have every twist, turn, and shock transfer covered for you right up until the final minute of the window.

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Bowie replacement comes in as Easter Road side strengthen

Sign up to our Football newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Hibs have completed the signing of Tottenham Hotspur striker Dane Scarlett on loan until the end of the season.

Scarlett, 21, was on the bench for Spurs in last season’s Europa League final and has played 27 games in total for the English Premier League side, scoring one goal. He has also spent loan spells at Portsmouth, Ipswich and Oxford during the course of his career.

The England Under-21 internationalist becomes Hibs’ third January signing following the arrival of fellow striker Owen Elding and midfielder Kai Andrews.

Scarlett’s arrival coincides with the imminent sale of Kieron Bowie, who is travelled out to Italy earlier on Friday to complete a £7 million move to Hellas Verona.

"Dane is a player with real talent, fantastic attributes and he will provide a genuine goal threat in the forward areas of the pitch with his pace, athleticism and technique,” said Hibs head coach David Gray. "We are delighted to bring Dane into the building and we are all looking forward to working with him over the next six months."

Hibs sporting director Malky Mackay added: "Dane is a top young player with serious potential and is an exciting talent. We're delighted that he saw Hibs as the best place for the next step in his career, despite having plenty of offers in England and abroad.

"I would like to thank Tottenham Hotspur for their cooperation and professionalism in the negotiations leading to an extremely smooth process of the loan. We're all really excited to see him in action between now and the end of the season."

Here’s everything you need to know about BTS’ World Tour - including how to get tickets and presale for London.

Sign up for the daily Trending Today. Get the stories the internet is talking about to your inbox.

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

BTS have announced the cities and dates for their massive comeback world tour.

The run of shows comes after the K-pop superstars revealed plans for a new album at the beginning of January, which will be their first in more than three years.

BTS will kick off their biggest tour to date in Goyang, South Korea this April, with a further 78 shows across Asia, North America, Latin America and Australia also scheduled. The final show announced so far will take place in Manila, the Philippines, in March 2027.

UK fans won’t miss out either, with two shows set for London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in July.

Here’s everything we know about BTS’ World Tour so far, from the full list of planned shows to how to access presale and more.

BTS World Tour: The full list of tour dates - including London

With BTS’ massive tour spilling over into 2027 and with further dates still to come, fans around the world will have plenty of opportunities to see the boyband.

During the European leg of their tour, BTS will perform in Spain, Belgium, Germany and France, as well as the UK, where they will play two nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Monday, July 6 and Tuesday, July 7.

Here is the full list of BTS World Tour dates:

Thursday, April 9 2026 — Goyang, South Korea

Saturday, April 11 2026 — Goyang, South Korea

Sunday, April 12 2026 — Goyang, South Korea

Friday, April 17 2026 — Tokyo, Japan

Saturday, April 18 2026 — Tokyo, Japan

Saturday, April 25 2026 — Tampa, USA

Sunday, April 26 2026 — Tampa, USA

Saturday, May 2 2026 — El Paso, USA

Sunday, May 3 2026 — El Paso, USA

Thursday, May 7 2026 — Mexico City, Mexico

Saturday, May 9 2026 — Mexico City, Mexico

Sunday, May 10 2026 — Mexico City, Mexico

Saturday, May 16 2026 — Stanford, USA

Sunday, May 17 2026 — Stanford, USA

Saturday, May 23 2026 — Las Vegas, USA

Sunday, May 24 2026 Las Vegas, USA

Wednesday, May 27 2026 — Las Vegas, USA

Friday, June 12 2026 — Busan, South Korea

Saturday, June 13 2026 — Busan, South Korea

Friday, June 26 2026 — Madrid, Spain

Saturday, June 27 2026 — Madrid, Spain

Wednesday, July 1 2026 — Brussels, Belgium

Thursday, July 2 2026 — Brussels, Belgium

Monday, July 6 2026 — London, United Kingdom

Tuesday, July 7 2026 — London, United Kingdom

Saturday, July 11 2026 — Munich, Germany

Sunday, July 12 2026 — Munich, Germany

Friday, July 17 2026 — Paris, France

Saturday, July 18 2026 — Paris, France

Saturday, August 1 2026 — East Rutherford, USA

Sunday, August 2 2026 — East Rutherford, USA

Wednesday, August 5 2026 — Foxborough, USA

Thursday, August 6 2026 — Foxborough, USA

Monday, August 10 2026 — Baltimore, USA

Tuesday, August 11 2026 — Baltimore, USA

Saturday, August 15 2026 — Arlington, USA

Sunday, August 16 2026 — Arlington, USA

Saturday, August 22 2026 — Toronto, Canada

Sunday, August 23 2026 — Toronto, Canada

Thursday, August 27 2026 — Chicago, USA

Friday, August 28 2026 — Chicago, USA

Tuesday, September 1 2026 — Los Angeles, USA

Wednesday, September 2 2026 — Los Angeles, USA

Saturday, September 5 2026 — Los Angeles, USA

Sunday, September 6 2026 — Los Angeles, USA

Friday, October 2 2026 — Bogotá, Colombia

Saturday, October 3 2026 — Bogotá, Colombia

Friday, October 9 2026 — Lima, Peru

Saturday, October 10 2026 — Lima, Peru

Friday, October 16 2026 — Santiago, Chile

Saturday, October 17 2026 — Santiago, Chile

Friday, October 23 2026 — Buenos Aires, Argentina

Saturday, October 24 2026 — Buenos Aires, Argentina

Wednesday, October 28 2026 — São Paulo, Brazil

Friday, October 30 2026 — São Paulo, Brazil

Saturday, October 31 2026 — São Paulo, Brazil

Thursday, November 19 2026 — Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Saturday, November 21 2026 — Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Sunday, November 22 2026 — Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Thursday, December 3 2026 — Bangkok, Thailand

Saturday, December 5 2026 — Bangkok, Thailand

Sunday, December 6 2026 — Bangkok, Thailand

Saturday, December 12 2026 — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Sunday, December 13 2026 — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Thursday, December 17 2026 — Singapore

Saturday, December 19 2026 — Singapore

Sunday, December 20 2026 — Singapore

Tuesday, December 22 2026 — Singapore

Saturday, December 26 2026 — Jakarta, Indonesia

Sunday, December 27 2026 — Jakarta, Indonesia

Friday, February 12 2027 — Melbourne, Australia

Saturday, February 13 2027 — Melbourne, Australia

Saturday, February 20 2027 — Sydney, Australia

Sunday, February 21 2027 — Sydney, Australia

Thursday, March 4 2027 — Hong Kong

Saturday, March 6 2027 — Hong Kong

Sunday, March 7 2027 — Hong Kong

Saturday, March 13 2027 — Manila, Philippines

Sunday, March 14 2027 — Manila, Philippines

To see venues for North America, Europe, and UK shows, visit here.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium capacity

BTS will play Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, which has a capacity of around 68,000 people.

Sign up to The Scotsman's arts and culture newsletter for all of the latest news and reviews directly to your inbox

When do BTS tickets go on sale?

General sale for BTS’ World Tour will begin at 1pm on Saturday, January 24 in the UK.

Tickets will be available from Ticketmaster.

For the best chance of purchasing tickets, advice includes ensuring you have registered for an account with the site in advance of the sale beginning and that all of your card details are up to date.

Ticketmaster operate a waiting room which will open 15 minutes before general sale begins, with other guidance including to use only one browser and device, with VPNs disabled.

BTS presale: Here’s how to register

What time does BTS presale begin in the UK?

If you’re in the UK, presale for BTS’s tickets - including London - will begin at 1pm on Thursday, January 22.

Presale will close at 10pm on Friday, January 23.

How to register for ARMY Membership and BTS presale

To get presale for shows including London, fans must hold an active BTS ARMY Membership and have registered for the presale on WeVerse before 11pm on Sunday, January 18.

This is so all memberships can be validated, though presale access may depend on Membership type.

Only ARMY Membership holders who have also registered will be able to join the queue, with their Global ARMY Membership number unlocking the presale.

In addition, fans must ensure that the same email is used for both their Weverse and Ticketmaster accounts, as you will otherwise be blocked from joining the queue. If the emails don’t match, they can be updated by contacting Ticketmaster by 11pm on Sunday, January 18 in the UK.

If you are are in the UK or Europe and hold a Global Membership, you will be able to register for access to up to three shows in across the region.

Are there any restrictions?

Yes, there are several restrictions BTS fans should be aware of.

No children under the age of 3 will be permitted inside venues such as London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it is strongly advised that the event is unsuitable for children under 5. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 and above, with one under 14 allowed in the standing area.

In addition, there is a limit of 4 tickets per person.

Playmaker knows he has to lead by example despite tender years

Sign up to our Football newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Ten minutes with Mikey Moore is not your average chat with a teenager. The Rangers playmaker exudes a maturity well beyond his 18 years.

Especially given the current climate at Ibrox right now. A summer arrival on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, Moore admitted to finding life tough in the beginning - even if some of his family are Rangers daft.

Moore has been one of their better players in attack under head coach Danny Rohl. A skilful dribbler who aims to be direct, the England youth internationalists likes to lead with his attitude on the pitch. As Rangers bid to keep their flickering Premiership title hopes alive after last weekend’s 2-1 loss at leaders Hearts, Moore will be vital to them.

"I think in the last few weeks, I felt more responsibility in myself to go and help the team going forward,” said Moore. “Sometimes there are games where we're going to be under pressure, and I've got that belief in myself that I can be that person to try and drive us on the pitch.

"I think that's what it's about. If you have one, two, three, four ... as many people on the team that have that mentality to go and be like, 'I'm going to help the team today'. I think the more we get that, the more we'll win games and the more we'll pick up points. We just all need to have that mentality of 'I'm going to help the team the most I can today'.

"I think as the weeks go on, the boys have got so much ability in the group, but a lot of it at this club is mentality. We need to have that mentality over the next few weeks to pick up as many points as possible and put ourselves in the position we were on the weekend. Just keep closing that gap.”

That gap to Hearts is currently 12 points. Moore enjoyed a stellar 2025 and was part of the Spurs squad that won the Europa League final against Manchester United. He is pining for a big moment with Rangers.

Moore’s special night on the continent

"That was a special night,” he said. “I didn't get on the pitch and I played a bit coming up to the final. I felt like I was a massive part of it, but even though I didn't play in the final, I think I got to see the mark of what that game took and what it meant to everyone.

"I think that was huge because now I have that experience and I know what it means to play in a game with that pressure. I know how all the boys were feeling on that day, the lead-up to it, seeing the fans out in Bilbao and seeing how much it meant to everyone.

"I just hope that a game like that we can recreate that this year. Even though whatever happened on the weekend, we're still in this position. I think if you look two months ago, we may be in the position we're in now. If we keep working, I want to be involved in those games again.”

Moore knows there is very little margin for error in the league now. “It’s hard to say what it’s going to take but we’ve got big games coming up in the next few,” he said. “We just need to keep picking up three points. Because every point dropped is a big one.

“Starting with Motherwell, we need three points and there’s a few big ones after that. Personally, and for the team, we just need to focus on one game at a time. It’s easy to say that but it’s the way we need to look at it.”

Moore has extra motivation to succeed at Rangers as he revealed his family’s affiliation with the club.

“I’ve got a few connections,” explained Moore. “My girlfriend’s whole family are Rangers fans. My family have always liked Rangers as a club too. I understand what it means now. I get messages off my girlfriend’s dad all the time, battering me if we lose and if we win he’s loving me. I understand what it means to be here and I’ve had that support from people in my family.

“You need that support network when you’re going through some hard times. They’ve been a massive help to me so I thank them for that. My family are Millwall fans so they have a bit of a link to Rangers. My uncle has been messaging me every week saying: ‘C’mon, batter them today’.

“I won’t read out some of the messages! Since I’ve been here, they’ve built that love again for the club. I felt it at Tottenham as well, all of a sudden they built a relationship with that club. As a family, that’s what we are. Everyone’s together. My mum is suddenly the biggest Rangers fan you’ve ever seen, with Rangers tops and all sorts. I love it here.”

The affection with Rangers inevitably leads to a question on whether Moore would contemplate a longer stay at Rangers. He signed a long-term deal with Spurs last summer but given his tender years and desire for first-team football, another season may not do him any harm whatsoever.

Moore offered another wise response. “I need to see what happens for the rest of this season,” he said. “It’s a hard one because a lot of it is down to the people back home. In the summer, I’ll go home and have talks with Tottenham and my agent, as well as my family.

“Obviously, I love playing at this club. I’m going to do everything I can to make the most of the next five months. I love playing here but we’ll see what happens, who I talk to and what they’re saying. Maybe I’ll be back, I don’t know.”

On-loan winger showing new lease of life under Danny Rohl

Sign up to our Football newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

A grinning Russell Martin in a plain white tee shirt, sporting director Kevin Thelwell’s hand resting supposedly reassuringly on the shoulder of the young player sitting in front of him. Mikey Moore’s signing photograph feels like it is from another age.

It is from just over 100 days ago. It could well feel like a lifetime for an 18-year-old, particularly one who has lived through an era at Rangers Football Club that will go down in their annals as among the grimmest.

“I think with the new boss and the way that we play, it’s a great place to be at the minute,” is one of the quotes from that first interview with the then 17-year-old, following his arrival on loan from Spurs. It could be a line from his post-match interview at Dens Park on Sunday. In fact, Moore said something broadly similar following the 3-0 win, when he managed to score his first goal for the club.

Of course, it is Danny Rohl rather than Martin who he is referencing when he gives credit to “the boss”. The new boss seems very unlike the old boss in that he is giving Moore the freedom to express himself.

Martin’s version of Rangers seemed to be identified by an anxiety to do anything ‘off the cuff’, which isn’t very helpful for flair players like Moore. The winger appeared to shrink into himself. It doesn’t make it any easier when the deep unhappiness evident in the stand is spilling down on to the pitch.

It seemed no one would be too bothered, including the player himself, if he was quietly returned to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium with a note saying 'thanks, but we will probably get by without him'. In fact, there were rumours that Moore himself had enquired about cutting short his loan deal such was the extent of the turbulence.

Even Moore wasn’t immune to the criticism. Despite his young age, he arrived with something of a reputation. He played for Spurs’ Under 21s when he was just 15. He became the youngest player to play for the club in the Premier League when appearing against Manchester City aged just 16 years and 277 days.

He was a well-known name and had been expected to hit the ground running with little heed paid to the fact he was coming to a different league and a club in a period of severe flux.

Moore denies he had investigated moving back to London prematurely. “A lot of stuff goes in the media that’s never true,” he said. “I was never ready to go back, I always knew that at some point it would change. I've changed it for myself a little bit in the last few weeks. I need to keep building and playing even better than I am, so I'm picking up the goals and assists that I need to.”

He is alert to the fact that although he was being praised for displays against the likes of AS Roma and Celtic, it was only a case of distinguishing himself in defeats.

He needs to hurt teams like he did in the first half against Dundee, when he scored one from the edge of the area and might have scored again but for a long VAR check that ruled an earlier offside infringement by Mohamed Diomande. “I've had a lot more chance in front of goal, I've had a bit of freedom to move across the pitch, so yeah, I've been happy playing under him,” he said, when asked about Rohl's impact on him personally. “I'm excited to keep that going.”

“It was a difficult start for me. I don't think I showed anywhere near what I know I can do,” he added.

“I think mentally it's been unbelievable for me because it's a massive club. It's strengthened me up a lot because it's the first bit of tough time I've been through. Now I'm happy to be coming out of it. But I need to keep on going and performing.”

Of course, this being Rangers, it’s not all sweetness and light. Although they have now strung three league victories together for the first time since last December, and Moore is among those showing better form, there is still significant concern over the centre forward position. Another reason for Moore’s struggles was - and is - the form of players for whom he is meant to be creating assists.

Bojan Miovski was taken off at half time against Dundee to give Youssef Chermiti the chance to kick-start his Ibrox career. The expensive purchase from Everton is taking a lot of the heat though Miovski is hardly flying at Rangers having hit just two goals in 13 appearances, with blanks in his last seven games. Rohl says he sees “good things” as well as "moments that need to improve" from all three forwards. Danilo started alongside Miovski against Dundee and is just as prone to anonymity. Moore is evidence of what’s possible.

Full details ahead of Paris Saint-Germain v Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup at the Bluenergy Stadium in Italy.

Sign up to our Football newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

The first major European trophy of the season is up for grabs on Wednesday evening as Paris Saint-Germain meet Tottenham Hotspur in the annual UEFA Super Cup final.

Back in May, the French giants claimed their very first UEFA Champions League title with a thumping 5-0 victory against Inter Milan in Munich’s Allianz Arena, and will now look to cement their status as the best team in Europe by adding the UEFA Super Cup to their trophy cabinet. Winners of a domestic treble last season, a win for Luis Enrique’s side would see them claim an astonishing fifth trophy of the year.

Their shock 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final in America last month is still fresh in the memory, though, and Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping to spring a surprise and add another trophy of their own, following their memorable 1-0 Europa League final win against Manchester United in May.

Want to make sure you don’t miss a minute of the game? Here’s everything you need to know about the UEFA Super Cup final, including how to watch the game live:

Paris Saint-Germain v Spurs Super Cup match details

Date and Time: Wednesday 13 August. Kick-off: 8pm UK time.

Venue: Bluenergy Stadium, Udine, Italy.

Paris Saint-Germain v Spurs TV channel

The Super Cup clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur has been chosen for live broadcast on TNT Sports for those subscribed to the service. Set to be screened via TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, pre-match coverage will to begin at 7pm. Details of how to sign up to the services are available here.

Paris Saint-Germain v Spurs Super Cup live stream

For those preferring to stream the game on your smart TV, laptop, tablet or mobile phone, TNT Sports subscribers can stream the match live on the discovery+ website here or through the discovery+ app.

Paris Saint-Germain v Spurs Super Cup highlights

For those unable to watch the game live, BBC One will screen highlights of the Super Cup final at 10.40pm on Wednesday night.

Martin delighted to get his man as highly-rated youngster signs up for Ibrox revolution

Sign up to our Football newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Rangers have completed the loan signing of Tottenham Hotspur’s teenage forward Mikey Moore for the 2025/26 season.

Moore, 17, is regarded as one of English football’s most exciting prospects after making the breakthrough at senior level with Spurs last season under Ange Postecoglou. He made 19 first-team appearances for the north London side, but new head coach Thomas Frank believes a loan move will best suit his development and Rangers have won the race for his signature.

Moore is capable of playing all across the front line, but is expected to be used predominantly as a winger by Rangers head coach Russell Martin. The Ibrox club have been keen to reinforce in that area following the departure of Vaclav Cerny, a key wide man from last season.

Rangers have been linked with Go Ahead Eagles winger Oliver Antman and Crystal Palace’s Jerusun Rak-Sakyi in recent weeks. Moore becomes Rangers’ eighth summer signing, following Max Aarons, Emmanuel Fernandez, Nasser Djiga, Joe Rothwell, Lyall Cameron, Thelo Aasgaard and Djeidi Gassama through the Ibrox door.

Moore revealed that as soon as he heard of Rangers’ interest, he wanted to join the club.

“I’m excited to get going,” he told the Rangers website. “As soon as I heard Rangers were interested and wanted me to come, it was a massive opportunity for me. I’m excited to be here and hopefully I can show the fans and everyone what I can do.

Moore: I have always loved Rangers

“I’ve always loved Rangers as a club. My family have always loved them. I think with the new boss and the way that we play, it’s a great place to be at the minute. It was a pretty easy decision for me to come here.”

Speaking on the loan deal for Moore, Martin said: “We are thrilled to bring Mikey on loan for this season. His profile as a brave, aggressive attacking player is one that we were keen to add to the squad, and he is certainly a player who, despite his age, can make an impact on the team from day one.

“He is a player with huge potential, and it is testament to his quality that he has been entrusted by Spurs in both the Premier League and UEFA Europa League with such regularity over the last 18 months.”

Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell added: “It is no secret that there was significant interest from elsewhere in Mikey and we are delighted that he has chosen Rangers at this stage in his career.

“He rose to prominence with Spurs last year and it is a reflection of his temperament and quality as a player that he made an immediate impact at a senior level which demands the best.

“We are convinced that Mikey is a player who will enhance our attacking unit. He is stepping into an ambitious, demanding environment that will test him, support him, and provide the platform to deliver and fulfil his potential, to the benefit of both himself and the club.”

What Spurs had to say on the move

A statement on the Tottenham website read: “Mikey Moore has joined Rangers on loan for the 2025/26 campaign.

“Having joined us as a seven-year-old, the forward progressed through our ranks to help our Under-17 and Under-18 teams secure the Premier League Cup double in 2022/23.

“In May, 2024, he earned his competitive first team debut against Manchester City, becoming the youngest ever player to appear for us in a Premier League fixture. The 17-year-old has made 21 senior appearances in all competitions to date, scoring once.

“Mikey registered his first senior goal for the Club in a UEFA Europa League fixture against Elfsborg in January – we memorably went onto win the competition in May, defeating Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao. At international level, Mikey has appeared for England up to Under-19 level to date.”

The move is subject to international clearance and if all paperwork is concluded swiftly, Moore could make his Rangers debut against Motherwell at Fir Park on Saturday evening in the first match of the new Premiership season.

Former Rangers hero hails Russell Martin target amid strong transfer links with Ibrox club

Sign up to our Football newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Ex-Rangers striker Jermain Defoe has believes the Russell Martin’s reported interest in Tottenham Hotspur teenager Mikey Moore could turn out to be the ideal move for both player and club, if they can get the deal over the line.

The 17-year-old midfielder was linked with a potential loan switch to Rangers earlier this week, with reports claiming the Ibrox hierarchy were closing in on a move that would see the youngster arrive on a deal until the end of the season.

Those rumours gained further traction when Thomas Frank opted to leave the teen out of the Spurs squad for their pre-season tour to Hong Kong and South Korea this week, with the Danish boss admitting: “Mikey is a big talent, I’m really excited about his future here at Tottenham. I think for all players, but especially the younger players, they need to get that first-team consistent football into their bodies. If we can find the right option, we’ll do that.”

Part of the last Rangers squad to win the Scottish Premiership in 2021, Defoe scored 32 goals for the club during his three-season stay at Ibrox, but retired in March 2022 following a short stint with Sunderland and went on to become coach of Spurs’ under-18 squad, where he managed Moore in the North London outfit’s academy, and has given the youngster a glowing reference ahead of his potential move to Glasgow.

“Mikey Moore's an amazing young talent,” said Defoe. “When I came into the academy, they said to me there's this young player that you need to see because he's the next best thing. As soon as I saw him, I thought he’s got something special. He deserves the opportunities that he is getting right now, and we must remember, he’s very young, only 17.

“He’s still got time to improve and I don't think anyone has seen the best of Mikey Moore yet. Once he plays consistently and he gets that confidence and arrogance that he had in the youth team, then we'll see the best of Mikey, he is a top player.”

The starlet, who turns 18 next month, featured sporadically under ex-Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou last season, and scored his first senior goal in a 3-0 win over Elfsborg on the way to his team's Europa League success. He is also officially the youngest player to play for Spurs in the English Premier League, making his debut against Manchester City in May 2024 at the age of 16 years and 277 days.

“I still speak to Mikey now,” Defoe told Footy Accumulators. “He's someone that wants to improve, he’s a nice kid. I was so happy when I saw him come on last season in Europe and get his first goal, and he gave me a little mention in the interview after which was brilliant. My advice to him would be to keep working hard, keep improving every day on your game and working on your game every single day.

“Work on those final third actions, whether that's a pass or whether that's a shot. Focus every single day to improve because you’re a young player and there's so much improvement that you can make. But he also needs to embrace it. Learn from the players around you and learn from the players that you play against.”