View: Next Ryan Jack already raring to go as 88% star jumps at Rangers

Ryan Jack has been a staple in the Rangers side over the years, having made 210 appearances for the Gers after signing from Aberdeen in 2017.

Some of the Ibrox faithful would have been rather worried about who could replace the veteran this summer after his exit was confirmed, even despite his lack of minutes last term.

The 32-year-old made just five Scottish Premiership starts during the 2023/24 campaign, with the midfielder largely plagued by injuries before seeing out his current contract at Ibrox.

With John Lundstram’s exit also confirmed, Clement could have been significantly reducing his options in the middle of the park if not for a recent addition – Connor Barron.

The 21-year-old also makes the same trip from Aberdeen across to Glasgow, following in the footsteps of Jack, and the Belgian manager will be hoping this bodes well for his career at Ibrox.

All signs point towards the signing being a positive one for the Gers, and his underlying statistics would also back that up, with Barron coming off the back of an impressive season with the Dons.

Can Connor Barron replace Ryan Jack at Rangers?

Comparing Barron’s 2023/24 season to Jack’s 2022/23 season, Rangers fans have every right to be excited about the prospect of the youngster joining the club.

While the 21-year-old maintained an average pass rate of 76 per cent throughout the league campaign, his accuracy shot up to 88 per cent during the relegation play-off matches, showing his ability to perform better under pressure [FotMob].

Jack’s statistics, as per FBref, would suggest that he was a lot more open to shooting from range, taking nine more shots than Barron in their separate seasons. However, the latter boasts a higher shooting accuracy, boasting an 8.4 per cent rise.

His attacking ability does not stop there. Barron clearly loves to cross the ball, having made 76 attempts last season, which could be a huge plus to the Gers attackers next term. Jack completed just nine.

This will, of course, not be Clement’s main worry about adding Barron to the starting XI. He will want the new player to add stability in the middle of the park, and he is certainly capable of doing so.

While Barron made 22 fouls last season (compared to Jack’s 19 in 2022/23), the new signing is far better at winning free-kicks, drawing 15 fouls from the opposition, compared to Jack’s nine.

The young midfielder is also not afraid of making the tackles, completing over double Jack’s from the 2022/23 campaign (20) and winning 42 in midfield for the Dons.

Barron looks to be a very impressive addition to Clement’s side ahead of the 2024/25 campaign and should be a player that is watched closely to really appreciate his impact on the pitch.

In other Rangers news, Robby McCrorie is on the verge of an Ibrox exit following a new transfer development.

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