'Crazy' - Clement can't believe 'Really Weird' transfer situation after Rangers sealed signing

Philippe Clement cannot believe it is set to cost Rangers more to sign Connor Barron that it would if he had left Scotland.

The Gers boss branded it “crazy” that it would be cheaper for the English Premier League to have picked up the 21-year-old midfielder and taken him out of the Scottish Premiership despite the gulf in finances between the leagues.

Aberdeen are set to take the Light Blues to a tribunal over compensation for Barron, having rejected the offer put forward from Ibrox.

Clement said, via the Scottish Sun (23 August): “For me it was also a crazy situation because I didn’t know when we were interested in Connor Barron that it’s more expensive to keep a Scottish player in Scotland than if a Scottish player goes to wherever else in the world.

“Even to the Premier League, where they have all the money in the world. So it’s more expensive to keep him in Scotland. That is, for me, a rule to put players out of Scotland. I don’t think it’s logical in Scotland to make rules like that.

“You need to make rules to keep players here – that it’s beneficial for the clubs that the players stay in the league here. That was also for me something really weird.”

Rangers and Aberdeen set for tribunal over Connor Barron

Barron’s form following his immediate introduction into the starting line-up this season will likely render the eventual fee as money well spent.

But in a transfer window where everything counts and Clement has been stuck having to sell to buy, or not buy because he can’t sell, it appears the wrangling with the Dons is an unwelcome extra complication.

But Ibrox News pundit Derek Ferguson has warned Aberdeen to be careful what they wish for at a tribunal after Rangers made a “very fair” offer.

Former Hibs striker Tam McManus named Barron the Light Blues’ “best” signing this summer after a “really, really good” start under Clement [PLZ Soccer, 19 August], so he likely will be seen as good value even if it isn’t technically a free transfer.

But somebody at Ibrox surely should have told the manager about the compensation rules if he didn’t already know them, even if Barron is the least of the Belgian’s worries ahead of the deadline.

Robin Propper and Vaclav Cerny are the only other new arrives to make any real contribution so far, but with Ben Davies finally moving out to Birmingham City there are high hopes that further reinforcements will now be possible [Daily Record, 23 August].

In other Rangers news, the Light Blues are now expected to be busy in the remaining days of the transfer window in the wake of making a seven-figure offer.

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