Rangers have found major success by signing from within Scotland after neglecting that area of the transfer market for too long, says Tam McManus.
The former Hibs striker said on The Football Show Live from PLZ Soccer on 19 August that ex-Aberdeen midfielder Connor Barron has been the club’s best signing and proves talent is available domestically.
The Gers and the Dons have so far been unable to agree a fee so face a tribunal, but McManus believes the value of signing the out-of-contract youngster has already surpassed the expensive transfers made last year.
McManus replied: “It just shows you that there are players out there at other Scottish clubs. Rangers have neglected that for a long time in my opinion. They used to do it a lot, they’d go and sign the best players from Dundee, Dundee United, Hibs, Hearts, whatever. They don’t seem to be doing that now.
“Out of all the signings… they got him for next to nothing and he’s been their best signing. For the money they’ve spent over the last two seasons on the Danilos and the [Cyriel] Dessers and the [Sam] Lammers, and a guy comes in from another Scottish club and he’s been really, really good.
“The Rangers supporters have taken to him straight away because he’s hungry, he looks as if he wants to get on the ball and create, make things happen. I think he’s been a really, really good signing for Rangers.”
Connor Barron named Rangers best signing after Aberdeen exit
If Philippe Clement could complete his entire transfer overhaul with low-cost options of Barron’s quality the squad wouldn’t be in the mess it currently was, but there aren’t enough available.
The 21-year-old hasn’t been flawless but as the only summer signing to crack the starting XI from the opening day he has demonstrated enough qualities to show he should be a success at Ibrox.
If he and Mohamed Diomande could be given a more solid defensive platform to cover them then as a creative partnership they could be a real strength.
His arrival could tempt the Gers hierarchy to look within the Scottish Premiership more often, and there are already signs they are doing so as scouting has been done on Motherwell teenager Lennon Miller [Football Scotland, 10 July].
But with striker still a problem position despite buying and selling numerous forwards in recent seasons it may be the proven, domestic options they haven’t signed which has had the biggest impact on recent fortunes.
Bojan Miovski was also liked at Aberdeen [Scottish Daily Mail, 1 July] but there is surprise that they didn’t pursue a signing before he made a big-money move to Girona this summer [Premier Sports, 19 August].
And after months of speculation linking Hearts star Lawrence Shankland to an Ibrox switch it now looks like another transfer window will pass without that move materialising, despite being considered among the hierarchy earlier this summer [Daily Record, 29 July].
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