If Philippe Clement wants to boost Rangers’ home-grown player quota, he might look no further than Connor Barron at Aberdeen.
The Scotland Under-21 international burst onto the scene in 2021/22 only to see two long-term injuries derail his progress.
Rangers’ ability to acquire domestic talent is no longer a nice to have, and players like Connor Barron don’t come around very frequently, with the midfielder telling the Press and Journal that he is back to his best.
Connor Barron might be Clement’s first signing for the Rangers.
Clement should seek to introduce more energy to the defensive midfield position with Ryan Jack and John Lundstram out of contract at the end of the season. Connor Barron may be small, but Rino Gattuso wasn’t exactly large either.
Barron may be small, but he is determined to become a power once more, according to the Press & Journal:
“I feel back to myself now.
“Last season was a tough one for me with injuries.
“I had a good pre-season and in the recent games I’ve played I think I have done well when I got the opportunity.
“It’s just about me taking it and grabbing my place in this team.
“I believe in myself and know what I can do.”
The most appealing element of the 21-year-old’s scenario is that his contract expires at the conclusion of this season, allowing him to negotiate terms with other teams in January. Jack’s availability will only decrease as he ages, therefore it makes more sense to hire a fitter, younger version.
It makes even more sense to replace the Scotland international with a Scottish option. Rangers have recently missed out on several young and skilled local players. Aaron Hickey, Lewis Ferguson, Josh Doig, Kevin Nisbet, and Max Johnston have all departed these shores in search of lower prices, but nothing has come of their efforts. Rangers should be monitoring Connor Barron’s contract status and informing his representatives that a move to Glasgow may be on the table if he is patient – not that Aberdeen fans would be delighted about it.
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