Boss Jim Goodwin has confirmed Aberdeen will continue to work on the bid to secure Connor Barron on a new contract.
Aberdeen’s wait for an answer from the midfielder on a new contract offer has now dragged on for months.
Goodwin insists the Reds have “left the contract offer on the table” and are waiting on a decision from Barron and his agent.
Barron was linked to Celtic, Premier League Brentford and Belgian club RK Genk during the transfer window last summer.
Italian Serie clubs Bologna, who signed Lewis Ferguson for £3 million last summer, and Sassuolo were also reportedly tracking Barron.
Barron is contracted to the Dons until summer 2024 and Goodwin is keen to tie down the 20-year-old to a longer deal.
However, Goodwin says even if the midfielder’s contract runs down and he exits in 18 months, the Dons will still be due “considerable” development compensation.
He said: “The offer has been on the table to Connor for a number of months.
“We’ll continue to work away on that one.
“Connor is one we like, obviously.
“We are quite secure with that one at the moment.
“There are 18 months left on his deal – we are in control of it.
“Even if the contract was to run down, the 18 months then we would still be due a considerable amount of compensation.
“We’ve left that contract offer on the table and it is up to Connor and his representatives to decide what the next step will be.”
A ‘considerable offer’ for Barron
In October last year, Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack confirmed the club had made a “considerable offer” to Barron.
The midfielder was a breakthrough star in 2022 and was shortlisted for the PFA Young Player of the Year last season.
His rapid rise began when recalled in January 2022 from a loan spell at eventual League Two title winners Kelty Hearts.
Within weeks of his Pittodrie return Barron was secured on an extended contract until summer 2024.
He made his Dons debut as a substitute in January last year.
Barron’s first start came soon after in the 1-1 draw with St Johnstone on February 15.
That debut start was under interim boss Barry Robson following the exit of manager Stephen Glass.
On his arrival at Pittodrie as new boss in mid February, Goodwin kept Barron in the starting line-up for his first game in charge.
He started every game under Goodwin for the rest of the 2021-22 season.
However, Barron suffered a knee injury in a pre-season friendly that ruled him out of the first four months of the campaign.
⚽ Connor Barron scored his first Aberden goal in our last game against Rangers.#StandFree | #cinchPrem pic.twitter.com/KExldvb6pT
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) December 19, 2022
‘Expectation goes through the roof’ for break-out stars like Barron
Barron returned to action in October and was again a regular first-team starter.
However, he has been relegated to the bench in the last two games, against St Johnstone (2-0 win) and Ross County (0-0).
Goodwin says young stars like Barron should not be expected to “carry the team on their shoulders”.
Goodwin said: “Connor had a brilliant second half to the season last year.
“He has been very unfortunate this season as he picked up an injury right at the beginning of pre-season.
“It has taken him a little bit of time to recover.
“Connor is only 20 years old.
“Sometimes when young players come in and make the kind of impact he did last season the level of expectation goes through the roof.
“They expect these young players to carry the team on their shoulders.
“That can’t happen because there is always going to be inconsistencies with any young players.
“Connor’s performances have been okay.
“I think he has done well in some games and in other games not been as influential as we would have liked.”
Barron’s continued development
The Reds boss recently strengthened his midfield options with loan signings of Graeme Shinnie (Wigan Athletic) and Slovakian Patrik Myslovic (Zilina).
Goodwin is confident Barron will continue to improve, insisting the midfielder has the right attitude to maintain an upwards trajectory.
Whether that happens at Aberdeen over the next 18 months or beyond remains up in the air.
Goodwin said: “We have constant conversations with all the young lads where we think they can improve – Connor has a great attitude.
“He’s desperate to learn all the time, desperate to improve.
“He’ll continue to do that.”
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