Rangers enter “open competition” to secure the signature of World Cup star, praised as the “top player” in his league.

Rangers Enter Competitive Chase for In-Demand Motherwell Winger Elijah Just

Rangers have reportedly joined the race to sign Motherwell standout Elijah Just, with the New Zealand international emerging as one of the most sought-after players in the Scottish Premiership. Fresh reports suggest the battle for his signature is wide open, with Celtic also keeping a close eye on the winger ahead of the summer transfer window.

The 26-year-old has significantly boosted his reputation over the past year thanks to his excellent displays for both club and country. After starring for Motherwell throughout the domestic season, Just carried that form onto the international stage, delivering an impressive World Cup campaign despite New Zealand failing to progress beyond the group phase.

His performances have strengthened speculation that he is ready to take the next step in his career, and with only one year left on his current contract, a transfer away from Fir Park is becoming an increasingly realistic possibility.

Outstanding World Cup Displays Raise His Value

Although New Zealand’s World Cup journey ended earlier than hoped, Elijah Just emerged as one of the tournament’s standout individual performers. The winger scored three goals in three group-stage matches, consistently providing an attacking threat against top-level opposition.

His ability to perform on football’s biggest stage has naturally attracted attention from clubs looking to strengthen their attacking options. Rather than fading under pressure, Just embraced the occasion and demonstrated his composure in front of goal while also showcasing his pace, movement, and technical quality.

His World Cup performances only reinforced what he had already shown throughout the Scottish Premiership season, where he established himself as one of Motherwell’s most influential players.

Praise From International Teammates and Coaches

Just’s rapid development has not gone unnoticed within the New Zealand setup. National team manager Darren Bazeley was full of praise for the winger after his performances during the club season, revealing that some people involved in Scottish football had even described him as the best player currently performing in the league.

Such recognition highlights the level of consistency Just has produced over an extended period rather than during a brief purple patch.

Experienced striker Chris Wood also praised his international teammate following New Zealand’s entertaining World Cup draw with Iran. Wood applauded Just’s quality and his ability to deliver when his country needed him, pointing to his goals and expressing confidence that even more would come as his international career continues.

Support from respected figures within the national team has further enhanced the winger’s growing reputation.

Rangers Looking to Strengthen Their Squad

After narrowly missing out on the Scottish Premiership title last season, Rangers are determined to strengthen key positions before the new campaign begins. The club has already shown its ambition in the transfer market by recruiting proven domestic talent, including striker Lawrence Shankland following his productive spell at Hearts.

However, improving the wide attacking positions also appears to be a priority.

Rangers struggled to receive consistent production from the right wing throughout last season, making it an area that could benefit from reinforcements. Elijah Just has now emerged as one of the leading candidates capable of solving that issue while also bringing valuable Scottish Premiership experience.

His familiarity with the league means he would likely require very little adaptation compared to players arriving from overseas competitions.

Affordable Transfer Could Appeal to Rangers

One factor making the potential transfer especially attractive is Just’s contract situation. With only a year remaining on his Motherwell deal, reports indicate the winger could be available for a fee well below £5 million.

For Rangers, such a valuation represents a relatively low-risk investment for a player entering his prime years.

The club is believed to have a substantial transfer budget available this summer, giving the recruitment team flexibility to strengthen multiple areas of the squad. Securing a player with proven domestic experience for a modest fee would allow Rangers to allocate resources elsewhere while still improving the overall quality of the team.

Should negotiations progress smoothly, financial considerations are unlikely to become a major obstacle.

Why Elijah Just Represents an Upgrade

Statistically, Elijah Just compares very favourably with Rangers winger Oliver Antman, whose first campaign at Ibrox failed to meet expectations.

Antman struggled to make a significant impact across the league season, contributing only a handful of goal involvements while finding regular consistency difficult to achieve. Injuries and limited playing time also restricted his influence.

By contrast, Just enjoyed an outstanding campaign for Motherwell, registering seven goals and eight assists in just 30 league appearances. Beyond his direct goal contributions, he consistently created opportunities for teammates, producing 11 big chances over the course of the season.

Those creative numbers comfortably surpass Antman’s output and underline Just’s ability to influence matches in multiple ways rather than relying solely on goals.

His performances suggest he could immediately strengthen Rangers’ attacking options if a transfer is completed.

Potential Tactical Impact at Ibrox

Should Rangers succeed in winning the race for Elijah Just, the arrival could reshape the club’s attacking structure.

The New Zealand international would likely compete directly for the right-wing position, increasing competition throughout the squad. His arrival could reduce Oliver Antman’s role while allowing Djeidi Gassama to operate more regularly on his preferred left flank instead of switching sides.

Having greater balance across both wings would provide Rangers with increased tactical flexibility and more consistent attacking threats from wide areas.

Competition for starting places could also raise overall performance levels within the squad, something Rangers will need if they hope to reclaim the Scottish Premiership title.

Transfer Battle Beginning to Intensify

With both Rangers and Celtic reportedly monitoring the situation, the race for Elijah Just’s signature appears far from settled.

His combination of proven Premiership experience, international pedigree, strong attacking numbers, and affordable transfer fee makes him one of the most appealing options available in Scotland this summer.

As interest continues to grow and the player reportedly seeks the opportunity to test himself at a bigger club, the coming weeks could prove decisive in determining where one of the league’s standout performers continues his career.