making this perhaps the most significant month for manager Philippe Clement at Ibrox.
The Light Blues play Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League and Celtic in the League Cup final three days later, while five of them are in the Premiership.
The Ibrox team should have a significant lift going into the January transfer window and the second half of the season if the Belgian manages to win both of these games.
Vaclav Cerny, who joined Rangers on a season-long loan in the summer, has scored eight goals and claimed five assists, one of his summer acquisitions who is finally beginning to shine.
Clement may have made one of his best signings since taking over the team in October 2023 in terms of value for money with the acquisition of Connor Barron.
The midfield player was completely free. Over the following few years, his performances will undoubtedly draw attention from others.
Numbers from Connor Barron’s season
Barron was viewed as the ideal successor for Ryan Jack, who was expected to leave when his contract ended at the end of the previous season, even before he joined the Rangers.
Despite reports of interest from down south, Clement emerged victorious in the competition to recruit the starlet before the upcoming season, and for several reasons, it appeared to be a wise financial decision. He was free, had Premiership experience, and—above all—his nationality would benefit the team in terms of European squad quotas.
Therefore, the signing undoubtedly matched the bill exactly. He has easily adapted to Ibrox and shown why so many clubs were interested in him throughout the summer.
Barron has been the team’s first-choice midfielder in Clement’s system, appearing in every game this season and starting 21 of the 23 games.
He has been quite good at controlling play and moving the ball about the house. Barron demonstrates his skills on the ball by averaging 67.8 touches per game and a 90% pass success rate every game.
In the top level, he has won 3.6 duels overall, averaged 2.2 tackles, recovered 4.2 balls, and lost control only eight times a game.
Some of these figures are even better in the Europa League. Barron has recovered five balls, averaged 3.4 tackles, and won 4.8 duels in five continental games, demonstrating his ability to adapt to both domestic and European play with ease.
These attributes imply that the Scot may play a significant role for the first team in the upcoming years, which will increase his market value.
Barron and other players like him are capable of settling in fast and will probably generate several million dollars for the Gers when they depart, so Clement will be eager to add more of them.
Is the Belgian aiming for a rerun of his masterclass against Barron?
Rangers might conduct another attack on Aberdeen.
The manager will be able to speak with players whose contracts expire next summer because the January transfer window will start in a few weeks.
Journalist Scott McDermott thinks the Light Blues should attack the Dons again next season, and this may help the team possibly clinch a few pre-contract agreements.
He should be negotiating a pre-contract agreement with Aberdeen left-back Jack MacKenzie on January 1. According to Koppen, the rangers should have a more Scottish core.
It used to be standard procedure for them to sign the top players from other elite teams, like Ryan Jack, Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo, and others. They are far behind Celtic partly because they have abandoned that philosophy in recent years.
It should be obvious that MacKenzie should be signed. The full-back is not set to sign a new contract at Pittodrie and is available on a free-agent basis.
In addition to giving Clement another Scot in the squad, which is good for Europe, he would, like Barron, bring some genuine talent to the team at no cost.
Yet, how effective has MacKenzie been for the Dons this year? And is it worthwhile to attack him?
Aberdeen’s Jack MacKenzie stats for this season
With one goal and four assists this season, the left-back has participated in all but one of Aberdeen’s games.
Even though he didn’t start, the player’s efforts earned him a call-up to the Scotland squad for the October Nations League matches against Croatia and Portugal.
Even though MacKenzie scored in a 3-1 victory at Ibrox in 2023, he doesn’t pose much of an offensive danger. His defensive prowess is what might persuade Clement to make a trade, even if he has produced zero major opportunities and only averages 0.8 vital passes per game.
He has averaged two tackles and 3.8 ball recoveries per game in the top division, winning 4.8 duels overall.
Because of his defensive skills, he has emerged as a vital member of Jimmy Thelin’s Aberdeen team, particularly given the club’s present
On the left side of his defense, Clement does have Jefte and Ridvan Yilmaz as alternatives. Yilmaz has sustained numerous injuries while at the club, but Jefte will continue to improve. Could the manager decide to let him go in January due to this?
Clement might pull off another transfer masterclass by adding another young Scot with an absurdly high ceiling to his team, replicating the deal that saw Barron move to Glasgow.
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