Bristol Rovers are reportedly closing in on their first summer signing, in the form of defender Taylor Moore who has been released by Valenciennes in the French second tier, according to Bristol Live.
The defender who has played in England before with Bristol City as recently as 2023, was released by Valenciennes having made a total of 21 appearances for the French outfit.
Who Is Taylor Moore?
Moore 27, has represented England from U17-U20’s and has had an exciting career path.
He made his first appearance in Senior Football, for RC Lens in Ligue during the 14/15 season, playing a total of 360 minutes, in a season in which the French side were relegated. The Englishman stayed with the French side for the duration of the 15/16 season playing 351 minutes.
He would then return to England, moving to Bristol City, where he would spend a total of 8 years where he would only make 48 appearances for The Robins. This was partly due to the six different loan spells he had away from the club.
In 2017 he was on loan with Bury for the second half of the 16/17 season where he made 19 appearances in League 1. The following season he was on the move again, this time to League 2 outfit Cheltenham Town where he would go on to make 35 appearances.
This was followed up, by a loan spell with Southend United during the 18/19 season where he played 34 matches. Upon returning to Bristol City in the first half of the 19/20 season he broke into the first team, playing 21 times totalling 1289 minutes, before once again being sent out on loan to Blackpool making eight appearances.
20/21 season he spent with Bristol City playing 22 games, before going to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership for the 21/22 season, playing 22 times. Before his final season with Bristol City he spent with Shrewsbury Town playing 42 appearances, before ultimately being released at the end of the 22/23 season.
He then headed back to France with Valenciennes making 17 appearances in the league, before disciplinary action was taken by the club in trying to terminate his contract.
Would it be a good fit for Bristol Rovers?
Moore is capable of playing multiple different roles across the back line as well as in midfield. Throughout his career, he has operated mostly as a centre-back but can operate comfortably as a right-back or a holding midfielder.
With manager Matt Taylor’s preference to play a back 4, the departure of Elkan Baggot upon the expiry of his loan, defender Josh Grant not being retained as well and Tristan Crama returning to Brentford, there is a need for defenders who can play multiple roles for Rovers, this will also allow more flexibility when it comes to tactical approaches for different games.