It’s certainly a path well-travelled. And a destination which has tended to treat those brave enough to make the journey pretty well.
Rangers, according to reports, have made a ‘strong offer’ for a player rapidly emerging as one of their leading summer targets. Though Philippe Clement‘s side are not only fighting against considerable competition, but against recent history too.
Aaron Hickey would have been a nailed-on member of this Scotland Euro 2024 had an injury not ruled him out, the full-back earning himself a £14 million move to Brentford after a spell at Bologna. Lewis Ferguson, meanwhile, captained the Rossoblu into the Champions League for the very first time last season.
And then there’s Josh Doig and Liam Henderson, succeeding in Italy too after rising through the ranks at Hibernian and Celtic.
Connor Barron may take some convincing, then, as Rangers look to fight off Serie A clubs for the free-agent midfielder. Ibrox is, of course, a very tempting destination in it’s own right.
But the chance to follow in Ferguson’s footsteps – the one-time Gers youngster reportedly now on the radar of Juventus just two years after leaving Aberdeen – may be an opportunity too good for Barron to turn down.
Connor Barron must decide on Rangers move
“If I was advising Aberdeen’s out-of-contract youth academy graduate Connor Barron, who has this week been linked to two clubs in Italy’s Serie A, I would be telling him to dig his passport out”, Dons legend Joe Harper tells the Press and Journal.
“I would obviously prefer Connor to stay at the Dons. But, with the back and forth over signing a new deal having gone on and on, I think there is very little prospect of him being at Pittodrie next season.”
Aberdeen confirmed as much on Friday, Barron set to depart alongside Kelle Roos and Jonny Hayes when his contract expires in July. Rangers, the Scottish Sun say, have made a ‘strong offer’ for the all-action playmaker, perhaps in the hope that Barron can fill the void created by the exit of one-time Dons captain Ryan Jack on the blue side of Glasgow.
Harper, meanwhile, feels that the technical nature of the Italian game suits Barron better than the hustle and bustle of Scottish football.
“While Connor has previously been linked to the likes of Swansea City – who made a rejected £500,000 bid for him in January – and has been touted for the Reds’ rivals Rangers, I think he should go to Italy,” adds the 1980 Scottish Premiership champion.
“Connor is a cultured midfield player. A pass-master. So the climate, pitches and style of play in Italy will suit him, more so than our Scottish winters.”
Serie A move may appeal to free-agent
In addition to Jack, Rangers have also announced that John Lundstram will be leaving on a free transfer. Lundstram is expected to end up at Trabzonspor alongside long-serving left-back Borna Barisic.
“Missing the boat on homegrown talent has a nasty habit of leaving you up a certain creek without a paddle,” former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson argues, hoping that his old employers can break from tradition with Barron.
“For whatever reason, it happened to Rangers with my nephew Lewis. It’s been similar at different stages with Lawrence Shankland, Aaron Hickey and Josh Doig too.”
“I think (Barron) is a good young player,” Ferguson added, via Go Radio.
“Is he going to really strengthen the Rangers midfield? It’s difficult when you play for a team like Aberdeen and you come with the pressure and the amount of stuff that is on your shoulders. The demands and expectations…
“(But) he’s a good player. At the price, I would probably go and take a chance on him. When I’ve seen Aberdeen, he’s certainly impressed me.
“But, it is a whole different ball game when you go to Rangers.”
