Rangers send scouts to watch “midfield machine”

Glasgow Rangers once again failed in their pursuit to bring the title back to Ibrox last season as they watched their local rivals lift the trophy for the third year running.

Rangers must now plot a way to regain control of the division in the 2024/25 campaign, to win the title for the first time since Steven Gerrard moved on from the club.

Philippe Clement and head of recruitment Nils Koppen appear to have placed an emphasis on making the squad younger in order to compete for trophies moving forward.

Of Rangers’ seven summer signings so far this window, only one player – back-up goalkeeper Liam Kelly – is over the age of 22. Mohammed Diomande, Oscar Cortes, Jefte, Clinton Nsiala, Hamza Igamane, and Connor Barron have all been brought in to bolster the ranks and lower the age profile at Ibrox.

Meanwhile, John Lundstram, Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe, Jon McLaughlin, and Ryan Jack, who are all in their 30s, were released at the end of May.

There is still plenty of time left for further changes in the summer transfer window and Rangers are reportedly looking at another young talent to add to the group.

Rangers eyeing up Premiership starlet

According to Football Scotland, Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller has emerged as a target for the Scottish giants ahead of next season.

The report claims that the Light Blues are interested in a deal to sign the teenage starlet after his breakthrough year at senior level during the 2023/24 campaign.

It states that the Scottish Premiership side sent scouts out to watch the 17-year-old dynamo in the flesh against Livingston in a 2-1 win for his side during pre-season earlier this month.

Football Scotland adds that he is still contracted to Motherwell until the summer of 2026, which means that they are in no rush to cash in on their star midfielder.

It, therefore, remains to be seen how much the Premiership outfit would demand for his services, or whether or not the Gers are prepared to make an official approach for his signature.

In the 2023/24 campaign, all of Rangers’ top five players in the league for minutes played were aged 29 or older and John Souttar, who ranked sixth, was the only Scottish player in the top 18.

Clement and Koppen now appear to be targeting young Scottish talent to be the future of the Rangers team and, with this in mind, Barron and Miller could be a dream pairing for supporters to look forward to seeing.

Why Rangers signed Connor Barron

The central midfielder’s contract with Aberdeen expired at the end of May and the Scottish giants took advantage of that opportunity to bring him to Glasgow.

Koppen stated that it is “important” that young Scottish players play a “big part” moving forward at the time of Barron’s arrival, and described him as a “real asset”.

At the age of 21, the Scotland U21 international is a player who combines the potential to improve with the quality to also make an immediate impact on the pitch.

He arrives as a long-term project for Clement to work with over the years to come but his performances in the Premiership for Aberdeen show that the talented gem can also slot into the first-team straight away.

Barron made 29 appearances in the Scottish top-flight last term and his displays in the middle of the park suggest that the potential is there for him to be an excellent replacement for Lundstram.

As you can see in the table above, the then-Dons star made more tackles and interceptions to win possession back whilst being dribbled past fewer times per game than the Englishman.

He also won a higher percentage of his duels both on the deck and in the air, which suggests that Barron could offer more than the new Trabzonspor signing out of possession.

Gers supporters can, therefore, look forward to seeing a tenacious and energetic defensive battler in the middle of the park next season, and he could play alongside another young Scottish star in Miller.

Why Rangers should sign Lennon Miller

Firstly, the Scotland U21 international is another young talent who would come in with the potential to grow and develop over the years to come.

He only turns 18 in August and this shows that the Motherwell star has plenty of time left on his hands to improve with more experience at first-team level, which shows that the Gers would sign him as a long-term project.

However, such was the case with Barron at Aberdeen, Miller’s performances on the pitch in the Premiership last term indicate that he could come in and make an immediate impact for Clement next season.

As you can see in the clip above, the teenage sensation has already showcased his talent against Celtic with a stunning assist against the Hoops back in February.

Miller also proved his defensive quality against Rangers by winning an impressive ten of his 12 duels to make three tackles and three interceptions in a 2-1 win for his side at Ibrox in February.

As you can see in the table above, he offered far more to his team out of possession than Lundstram and Jack, who were both released this summer, did for the Gers.

Miller, who was described as a “midfield machine” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a brute in the middle of the park who can win the majority of his duels to break up play, despite his age and inexperience.

This suggests that he could form a monstrous partnership with Barron in midfield as the young duo could completely dominate opposition midfields with their physicality and defensive prowess, which would then allow the likes of Todd Cantwell and Mohammed Diomande to push forward to make an impact at the top end of the pitch.