Rangers target now wants to move to Ibrox this month

Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Connor Barron put in another impressive display for Danny Rohl’s side with two assists against Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox on Tuesday night.

The Scotland international delivered two pinpoint set-pieces to assist Emmanuel Fernandez and Nicolas Raskin in the 2-0 win over the Dons in Glasgow.

Barron has started 13 of his 19 appearances in the Premiership this season, per Sofascore, after starting 23 out of his 28 outings in the division in his debut campaign with the Gers, which shows that he has established himself as a regular starter since his move to Ibrox in 2024.

The central midfielder was snapped up from Aberdeen after his contract expired in the summer of 2024, and has been a solid addition to the squad as a player who was able to hit the ground running due to his prior experience in the league with the Dons.

Rangers expected to make new offer for star

Barron’s performances for the club over the past 18 months highlight the value in signing players who already have experience in the Premiership, as they know the division and can make an instant impact as reliable performers.

According to TEAMtalk, Glasgow Rangers remain interested in a deal to sign a player who has previously shone in the Premiership, left-back James Penrice.

The report claims that the Gers have had one offer turned down for the AEK Athens full-back in this January transfer window, but that is not the end of their interest in him.

It adds that the Scottish giants are expected to return with an improved offer for the former Hearts star, which means that a new bid could be submitted in the coming days.

TEAMtalk also reveals that Penrice is keen on a move to Ibrox this month to link up with Rohl’s squad and return to Scotland, suggesting that personal terms would not be too much of an issue.

Why Penrice would be a Barron repeat for Rangers

Like Barron, Penrice would arrive in Glasgow as a proven Premiership performer who already knows the country and the league, which could help him to hit the ground running in the second half of the season.

As much as it is possible to find hidden gems and hit the jackpot with players like Hamza Igamane, there is less of a risk involved in signing proven domestic talent, as there should not be any concerns about how they will adapt to the league.

That is why Rangers should always be looking to recruit a mix of both, so they can combine reliable and consistent domestic performers with potentially elite young talent to build a balanced and successful team.

Penrice joined AEK Athens from Hearts last summer after catching the eye with his performances in the Premiership during the 2024/25 campaign, which means that he would fall into the reliable and consistent domestic performers side of recruitment.

The 27-year-old star is an experienced defender who has plenty of games under his belt, in Scotland and now in Greece, and could make an immediate impact at Ibrox.

Penrice delivered two goals and five assists in 33 appearances in the Scottish Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign for Hearts, per Sofascore, on top of winning 53% of his defensive duels.

This shows that he can impact matches with his offensive and defensive contributions, which is further backed up by his 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game in the league for the Jam Tarts in his last year in Scotland.

The Scottish full-back, as shown in the table above, has the potential to come in and offer more to the team than Jayden Meghoma in and out of possession at left-back, if he can get back to the level that he showed at Hearts.

Penrice, who STV Radio host Ewen Cameron claimed would be “perfect for Rangers”, could be a brilliant signing for the Light Blues because of his experience and previous performance levels in the Premiership.

Barron has become a mainstay in the middle of the park for Rangers as a Scotland international who knows the league and can provide consistent performances to allow other players, including new signings or players from abroad, to be dropped in around him.

Penrice could be another one of those domestic mainstays who can provide reliable performances that allow Rohl to experiment more in other positions, knowing that he has the likes of Jack Butland, John Souttar, Barron, and Penrice across the defence and midfield who can be relied upon.