Exclusive: Rangers to make major double swoop for SPL pair | OneFootball

Ibrox Noise understands that Rangers are monitoring Kilmarnock’s rising star midfielder David Watson, 19, after an impressive Scottish Premiership season for the growing talent in Ayrshire, and Aberdeen’s Connor Barron, 21, who falls under the same umbrella at Pittodrie.

With John Lundstram moving on, Nicolas Raskin not impressing, and the manager’s ongoing refusal to use Dujon Sterling in the middle, not to mention Mohamed Diomande’s inauspicious start to life at the club while Ryan Jack won’t be offered a new deal, Rangers are pretty much bare bones in the middle and looking to bring some quality talent in.

And having been heavily impressed by the duo over the course of this season, including some strong performances against Rangers, manager Philippe Clement and Rangers’ scouting network are interested in making summer moves for the pair, with of course Barron in particular out of contract.

Barron will present a bit of a signing on fee, but nothing Rangers can’t afford, and the club is said to have learned heavily from the Lewis Ferguson disaster, with Aberdeen having a reputation of producing many talented central and defensive midfielders the club would be loathe to miss out on what appears to be the latest one.

In Killie star Watson’s case, he won Young Player of the Year, and is absolutely interesting Rangers, and with his contract having another two years on it he wouldn’t be expensive, but also wouldn’t be pennies – Rangers would expect to shell out around £2M-£3M for his signature.

Barron is very much the same position as Rangers’ Lundstram, out of contract and was interested in a new deal but it appears it won’t happen and he’ll move onto a more lucrative deal with a bigger club this summer – Rangers are in pole position to secure that.

There is no question Rangers need a bit more of a Scottish identity, with not a single regular player under Philippe Clement being native aside John Souttar, and the club will need to increase that talent pool a bit over the coming seasons.

Barron and Watson may well be the starting point.