There’s a lazy take going round that if McInnes wanted a player then he must be automatically suitable for Rangers. It doesn’t hold up. The point isn’t to attack McInnes or Hearts, it’s about fit. We need midfielders who match our shape, tempo and the problems we’ve had for seasons — winning the ball and turning it into forward momentum. Devlin is useful, sure, but he might not be the exact profile we’re desperate for.
Where Devlin played and what that means
To be fair, Devlin did plenty of good work at Hearts, but a lot of that came from a more advanced central role rather than a pure defensive midfield job. Systems shift and numbers on a sheet don’t always tell the full story, but the essence is that he often operated as a central/box-to-box presence rather than a single sit-down DM who wins the ball and instantly drives play forward. He has tidy defensive numbers and offers ball progression in his own way, yet he usually needs a partner to do the quicker forward passing that drags opponents out of position.
Barron and the longer-term case
Barron is younger and, on paper, gives us more runway. Longevity matters when you’re trying to build a midfield core — experience is useful, but so is the option to develop and adapt within the squad. He’s shown improvement this season and, crucially, provides the sort of defensive solidity you’d want from a designated DM. That doesn’t automatically mean he’s perfect, just that his profile might suit what we lack: a player who can sit and protect while others take the creative load higher up.
What Rangers actually need in midfield
Truth is we’ve been moaning about the same type of midfielders for a couple of seasons now — lots of box-to-box and deep-lying options, but not enough midfielders who consistently win the ball then pick that incisive forward pass or drive us upfield. Maybe Dan Neil can supply that spark inside our group, maybe not. The point is recruitment should be about balance: a defensive minded sitter who can also start attacks when possible, and someone alongside him with the vision and tempo to exploit turnover. Paying big for the wrong profile won’t fix the problem. Free agents exist who could complement what we already have, and we should be picky rather than sentimental.
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