Chris Sutton says he can’t get his head around the ongoing tribunal saga over Connor Barron – and reckons it probably won’t be resolved now until after Christmas.
Barron joined Rangers from Aberdeen on a free transfer in the summer and the clubs are yet to settle on a compensation fee. The Dons rejected an offer of just over £500,000 and have taken it to a tribunal to determine how much they are owed. Legally they have been unable to say much publicly, but chief exec Alan Burrows did reveal at the club’s AGM last month that they were frustrated at how long it is taking, with a date for the hearing yet to even be set seven months after Barron made the move.
Sutton can see both sides of it though as he told the Press and Journal: “It is strange and probably tells us how far apart both clubs are at with their valuations. Aberdeen have lost a good player in Barron and will want every penny they can. They will want an absolute fortune.
“I know Barron wasn’t in Rangers’ starting XI for the Premier Sports Cup final but the better he does, the worse it is for Rangers in terms of how much they’ll have to pay. I can understand both sides of it. However, as is typical at this time year, they’ll probably now put it (tribunal) to after Christmas.”
Elsewhere Rangers have been heavily linked with Romanian playmaker Darius Olaru in the past and his stock is only rising. He sweeped home several awards at the Romanian Football Awards on Monday night, including midfielder of the year, while he was also named in their team of the season. A £4m fee for Olaru has been mooted for the Steaua Bucharest midfielder, and he was honest about the fact he’d like to leave in 2025.
He told GSP: “For me, it was a perfect year. I think for my colleagues too. We won the title after so many years, we have a very good track record in Europe and, besides, we were also at the Euros and had good results.
“I don’t know for sure if I will leave in 2025. I would like to. But, at the same time, I know I still have work to do here. I’ll see what happens in the near future.”
And Falkirk boss John McGlynn says he’s had no enquiries yet about Keelan Adams despite rising interest in the right-back. Adams has been one of the breakout stars of an impressive season so far for the Bairns who top the Championship and remain on course for back-to-back promotions.
He was signed from Lowland League Cumbernauld Colts in January but only arrived to train full-time with McGlynn’s team in the summer, spending the second half of last season out on loan at Cumbernauld. But he’s made up for lost time, nailing down a spot in the team and has already been handed a new deal until 2027.
Rangers are reported to have scouted him while Southampton and Leeds are also said to be sniffing around the 22-year-old. And McGlynn says news of interest is no surprise – but he’s in no rush to sell.
He said: “I’d be surprised if there wasn’t (interest) in Keelan because he has been so good. I’d be disappointed if there was no interest. Whether it materialises into anything, who knows. Certainly, no one has came to me yet and enquired. We’re very happy with Keelan and that’s what we extended his contract by a year.
“We hope for him to be here for the foreseeable and certainly beyond this window. It is all good so far. We’ve brought in money financially from our cup runs and our fans backing. We’ve played Celtic and Hearts and that has brought in money – we don’t need to sell.”