You can see why people compare Connor Barron to Ross McCrorie — both won over fans with graft, bite and attitude. To be fair, that work ethic is half the battle in this league. McCrorie’s time away seems to have sharpened him and that naturally raises the question: where does that leave Barron?

Why Barron matters

Barron’s strengths are obvious to anyone who watches him. He’s got that engine, reads play well enough, and isn’t afraid to get stuck in. Those traits make him a useful squad player and, with the right minutes, someone who can develop into a regular. He’s still young and the biggest thing for him is consistent game time — training is fine, but nothing replaces competitive minutes.

Paths open to him

There are a few sensible routes. Stay and fight: competition can drag you on, and playing alongside experienced heads helps with decision-making and composure. Another option is a loan to a club where he starts every week; that can accelerate development without burning bridges. Or he could settle into a rotation role, playing cup games and coming off the bench while learning. None of those choices is inherently wrong — it depends what the manager and player want.

What I’d like to see

Personally, I’d keep him around. Give the lad a chance to grow within the squad McInnes is putting together. He’s the sort who benefits from the club environment and the standards at Ibrox. But honesty matters too: if he isn’t going to get minutes, a loan that guarantees starts makes more sense for his career. Either way, the aim should be steady progression, not rushing him or hiding him away.

So where will he be at the start of the season? My money is on him still being at the club, pushing for a place and taking chances when they come. If he gets regular action, we might look back and say keeping him was a no-brainer. If not, a temporary move elsewhere would be the sensible compromise.

Written by Thestigno1: 8 July 2026

Tags: transfers opinion squad