For every Ryan Jack, consistently excellent for Rangers across seven seasons, there are plenty of examples of when a transfer of this ilk has not quite worked out.
Scott Wright, for instance, followed in Jack’s footsteps from Aberdeen to Ibrox but – that Scottish Cup final goal back in 2022 aside – has not had too many good days to look back on. Jordan Jones struggled to make the step up too, after joining from Kilmarnock.
Then there is Jake Hastie, currently contracted to Hartlepool United in England’s fifth tier.
Perhaps this is why Rangers have not given the domestic market as much focus as some – including former captain Barry Ferguson – feel it has deserved in recent years. Their fingers burnt by past disappointments.
Last week’s addition of Connor Barron, then, felt somewhat novel. Only Rangers’ second signing from a direct Scottish Premiership rival since Wright three-and-a-half years ago, and the first since John Souttar.
Rangers sign Aberdeen starlet Connor Barron
Since the appointments of Nils Koppen and Philippe Clement, the Premiership runners-up have continued to focus on far flung markets in pursuit of bargains. Their signings so far have come from Denmark, France, Brazil and Italy.
You will be able to add Morocco to that list should Hamza Igamane arrive.
The chance to bring in a player with the sporting and re-sale potential of Barron, then, was obviously one Rangers felt they could not miss out on. The Scotland Under-21 international officially became a member of Clement’s squad after Aberdeen confirmed that he would not be extending his contract.
Much to the frustration of Dons legend Willie Miller.
“Aberdeen will be disappointed they did not get much first-team payback for all the years they spent developing Connor Barron,” Miller now tells the Press and Journal.
“Aberdeen will be hurting a player they developed from a very young age did not stick around to get more game-time with the first team.”
Miller draws similarities between the Barron move and Ryan Fraser’s departure to Bournemouth when he was just 18 years of age. Aberdeen’s frustration grew as Fraser – who featured only 21 times for the club – developed into one of the Premier League’s stand-out wingers for a brief period of time a few years back.
And while Aberdeen will still earn some sort of a windfall from Barron’s exit – a fee may yet be decided via a tribunal – the all-action ‘pass-master’ is still likely to depart for a fraction of his market value.
Is Ibrox the right move?
Time will tell, meanwhile, if Barron’s Rangers career is more in line with Jack’s or Fraser’s. Miller does have his concerns. Even though Jack and John Lundstram have both departed, Barron will still come up against Mohammed Diomande, Nicolas Raskin, Kieran Dowell and Tom Lawrence for a starting spot in Clement’s midfield.
“Barron is a very talented player,” Miller argues. “But I would suggest it will be tough for him to cement a place in that Rangers team. So we are going to have to wait and see if signing for Rangers proves the right career move for Barron.
“There is also a rivalry between Aberdeen and Rangers. So I’m sure Dons fans will be unhappy he has moved to Ibrox.
“The best outcome for Aberdeen was if Barron signed for a club in England or overseas. You do not want a player you have spent years developing to then move to one of your main rivals.
“Barron views Rangers as the next step in his career and Aberdeen just have to accept that.
It came as no surprise that Barron left Aberdeen. as it was pretty obvious for a while he viewed his future away from Pittodrie.”
