Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement has gone about his transfer business fairly well so far this summer, managing to lower the average age of the first-team squad at Ibrox rather considerably.
At the end of last season, Ryan Jack, Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe, John Lundstram and Jon McLaughlin all departed Rangers once their contracts expired. The quintet had an average age of 32, and it was clear that allowing them to leave would free up space in the wage budget for future incomings.
Since then, Clement has signed seven players, with all but one – Liam Kelly – under the age of 23, showing how important he is placing his trust in young talent ahead of the current campaign.
The likes of Hamza Igamane, Clinton Nsiala and Jefte all look to have bright futures in the game if they can continue their development under the tutelage of the Belgian manager.
It is the signing of Connor Barron which could prove to be one of the most impressive deals that the Light Blues will conduct this summer, especially as his profile fits Rangers perfectly.
What Barron could offer Rangers next season
The former Aberdeen midfielder had been linked with a move to the Ibrox side as far back as January this year, although Clement would surely have been keeping an eye on the player’s contract situation after a few weeks in the hot seat.
With the rumour mill circling once the 2023/24 season finished, it looked as though the Gers were going to miss out on Barron, as Swansea City were showing interest, along with a few Serie A sides.
After weeks of speculation, Clement finally announced the signing of the Scottish midfielder in what was arguably the most obvious piece of transfer business the club could do this summer, with the majority of the Ibrox faithful clearly wondering when a deal would happen.
The 21-year-old made his Premiership debut for the Dons during the 2021/22 season, but it wasn’t until last term that he became a regular member of the starting XI.
Across all competitions, Barron made 42 appearances for Aberdeen, scoring once and registering three assists from the heart of the midfield.
Among his teammates, the Scot ranked third for accurate passes per game (27.6) in the Premiership, along with ranking fourth for key passes per match (0.8) and for tackles per game (1.8), showcasing his talents across a range of metrics.
There was no doubt he was destined for better things and the Light Blues have secured a wonderful bargain, as Barron will likely make them a substantial profit in the near future.
