Glasgow Rangers were hit with a significant blow earlier this month when central midfielder Connor Barron suffered a knee injury in the 2-0 win over Aberdeen.
The Scotland international was ruled out for between eight and 12 weeks at the time by manager Danny Rohl, which means that he is set to return between March and April.
That was a blow for the Light Blues because he has started 13 of his 19 appearances in the Scottish Premiership this term, and provided two assists against the Dons in the game that he got injured in.
Rangers have signed Tochi Chukwuani from Sturm Graz to bolster their options in the middle of the park, but the towering defensive midfielder is not a like-for-like replacement for Barron.
Rangers edge ahead in race for Premier League talent
The Scottish giants are reportedly looking to sign a Premier League talent who could be the perfect replacement for the former Aberdeen midfielder in the coming weeks and months.
According to Sheffield-based publication The Star, Glasgow Rangers have edged ahead of Sheffield United in the race to sign Sunderland central midfielder Dan Neil in the January transfer window.
The report claims that the Englishman is a key target for the Blades this month, but that the Gers have 'stolen a march' on them in the race to secure his services.
On top of that, journalist Alan Nixon, on his Patreon, claims that Rangers have the money to offer more wages than the English teams who are interested in signing Neil, giving them the edge over their rivals in that respect.
Nixon adds, though, that the Sunderland captain is prepared to wait until the summer to make a move at the end of his contract at the Stadium of Light, if the Light Blues cannot agree a fee with the Black Cats to sign him in the current window.
Why Rangers must sign Dan Neil now
Instead of waiting until the summer to sign Neil on a free transfer, Rohl must push the board to agree a deal with Sunderland to sign him before the deadline at the start of February
Barron could be out for more than two months and the Light Blues are in the middle of a three-way fight for the title with Celtic and Hearts, which means that they need an instant replacement for the Scotland international.
In terms for like-for-like replacements, there may not be many players available to sign who would be better for Rangers to sign than the Sunderland star to take Barron's place at the base of the midfield.
Neil has only played three times in the Premier League this season, which makes it difficult to draw any conclusions from his performances, but he did play 44 times in the Championship for the Black Cats in the 2024/25 campaign.
In those 44 matches in the second tier for Sunderland, the 24-year-old star proved himself to be a combative and impressive operator in the middle of the park.
League form | Barron (25/26) | Neil (24/25) |
|---|---|---|
As you can see in the table above, the Black Cats academy graduate's performances in the Championship were remarkably similar to what the Rangers man has produced in the Premiership this season.
Neil was described as a "perfect" player for Rohl because of the bite that he offers in midfield, and that is backed up by how similar his statistics are to Barron's.
The Premier League midfielder clearly has the attributes out of possession to replicate what Barron has been offering as a terrier-like midfield operator in the Premiership, with tackles, duels, interceptions, and clearances to disrupt play and regain the ball for the Light Blues.
Neil would not only be the perfect short-term replacement for Barron, though, as he is also a 24-year-old player who has room to grow and develop in the years to come, which means that he could be an excellent long-term signing for Rohl to work with and improve.
Therefore, the Sunderland star could be a brilliant addition to the squad this month as the Barron replacement that they need, as well as being a signing for the future.