Outgoing Aberdeen midfielder Connor Barron has accepted Rangers’ improved terms and a deal has been reached to secure the 21-year-old’s signature, with potential for an announcement within one week.
It was (unofficially) confirmed on Monday evening that barring any last-minute hitches, the Scotland U21 international will be holding the Ibrox scarf aloft in due course to bring to an end a major courting from Rangers’ Director of Football Recruitment Nils Koppen and manager Philippe Clement of the lad’s services which marks a major target sealed.
Rangers have batted away competition from England and Italy, with Swansea pulling out over the past 48 hours while Italian sides Bologna, Cagliari and Sassuolo were also keen.
Aberdeen will receive compensation under homegrown rules development rights, with a sum likely to be the usual circa £350,000 for the costs of producing the player he now is, with a tonne of potential in there too.
In terms of the type that he is, he’s a defensive-central midfielder fundamentally, and Rangers have been crying out for a player like him – he is viewed as ‘the’ replacement for John Lundstram and Ryan Jack, and it is unknown at this point whether more additions will arrive in that position or if Clement is happy with Barron, Dujon Sterling, Mohamed Diomande and Nico Raskin, with the obvious Sterling caveat in there too.
It is a big signing, it’s a signing Barron himself wanted, he didn’t want to go to Europe, was happy to remain in Scotland, and was very keen on Rangers when he learned Clement and Koppen were interested.
Is it a game-changer?
It’s more promising than unknown ‘godknowswho’ from Z League, and it helps with the Scottish quota in Europe of course. Rangers have far too few quality Scottish players and this certainly helps with that.
He is a quality Aberdeen product from their-now legendary academy which far outperforms Rangers’, bringing them big money for the likes of Scott McKenna, Kenny McLean, Calvin Ramsey and Lewis Ferguson – they won’t get those millions for Barron, but it’s an excellent stable.
Does make you wonder why they ended up a bottom-6 team mind you…
But, end of the day, appears Barron will be signing fairly soon.
Pleasant.