Rangers boss Philippe Clement calls out ‘really weird’ Scottish transfer rule

PHILIPPE CLEMENT reckons Scottish football needs a rule change to keep the best young talent in the SPFL.

The Gers boss is heading for a signing showdown with Aberdeen over the summer transfer of Connor Barron.

4

4

After letting his Pittodrie deal expire, Barron moved to Ibrox and has since played every game possible since the competitive action started under the Belgian boss.

Clement had seen his abilities up close in games against the Dons last season.

But what DIDN’T spot was the hidden fees it would cost Gers to recruit from a Premiership rival.

The deal is heading for a tribunal to settle a fee for the homegrown talent – who Sunsport exclusively revealed is in the mix for a call-up to Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad ahead of next month’s Nations League kick off.

And Clement reckons there’s a rule change needed to avoid a talent drain on pure financial levels.

He said: “For me it was also a crazy situation because I didn’t know when we were interested in Connor Barron that it’s more expensive to keep a Scottish player in Scotland than if a Scottish player goes to wherever else in the world.

“Even to the Premier League, where they have all the money in the world.

“So it’s more expensive to keep him in Scotland. That is, for me, a rule to put players out of Scotland.

“I don’t think it’s logical in Scotland to make rules like that.

“You need to make rules to keep players here – that it’s beneficial for the clubs that the players stay in the league here.

“That was also for me something really weird.”

Barron opened up on his first few months in the Light Blue after his switch from the Reds – and commended the club’s fans for their welcome.

His old support have turned on him but the midfielder said: “I’m just delighted to be here and pulling on the shirt – it’s an honour.

“It’s just about doing a job for the team, for the club for the fans and winning games of football.

4

” The fans have been brilliant with me and I can sense that.

“We’ve got a great following and it’s about us repaying that and winning games of football and sending them home happy.”

Clement also suggested B teams should be formally added to the SPFL structure and would be “a very good thing for Scottish football”.

He cited examples in Belgium and The Netherlands on the thorny issue on the back of an SFA report into the development of players between Academy and first-team level.

Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page