Rangers recruitment is well under way for the summer according to Philippe Clement and he will be hoping to have as many new players as possible when pre-season training kicks-off.
With so many players in the squad out of contract or expected to leave Ibrox, the team that lines up in the first friendly of the summer could have a refreshing new look.
Experienced players like John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, Borna Barisic and Kemar Roofe are all tipped to leave and will need to be replaced, however, Rangers could be missing out on an up and coming star right on their doorstep.
Rangers could miss out on Connor Barron as Italian sides circle
Rangers have been mentioned in the past as possible suitors for Aberdeen’s Connor Barron, but as yet, there has been nothing concrete.
A £500,000 offer from Swansea was rejected in January and it now looks like bigger clubs are starting to circle too after a series of impressive performances.
The combative midfielder is out of contract in the summer which means a development fee is all that is needed to secure his signature.
If Rangers are to bring the 21-year old to Ibrox though, they will need to move fast with The Daily Record claiming that Bologna want to make Barron their third SPFL signing and Cagliari and Sassuolo also sniffing about.
Speaking this week, Philippe Clement reiterated his point that young, promising players should be the backbone of his transfer strategy when asked about a summer rebuild:
“It is going to be a big one because of all the out-of-contracts. And maybe others also. It is going to be quite a rebuild also.
“You want to keep the foundations of this season, you don’t want to start from zero again.
“We need to find a good balance in that and doing smart things for now but also for the future of the club to bring profiles in, like Diomande is proving now week after week, that can be assets for the future.
“We also need to get experience in, if experience is leaving the building. We need to balance.”
Barron ticks a lot of boxes for Rangers player trading model
The academy players who impressed against Dundee should be seen more regularly next season.
Rangers have to move away from signing players on the cheap who need to be fixed to fill the squad when there are determined and hungry youngsters kicking about Auchenhowie.
Barron might not be a Rangers fan – his dad is – but he has the tenacity and aggression that has been missed at times in midfield.
With Jack no longer capable of staying fit and being relied upon, it makes so much sense to pick up the phone to Barron’s agent and ask how much he is wanting.
Rangers have already missed out on tap-ins like Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson who are now valued at tens of millions, missing out on Barron is almost inexcusable.
