Aberdeen have rejected Rangers’ first bid for Connor Barron and are ready to go to a tribunal to get the best value for the midfielder.
It is understood the Dons have turned down an opening offer of around £500,000 for the 21-year-old.
That is the fee Aberdeen would have been due in training compensation if Barron had signed for a club outside Scotland.
However as he has joined a Scottish club a fee must be thrashed out between the Reds and Rangers.
The Ibrox club’s opening offer is nowhere near the Dons’ valuation of the midfielder.
If no agreement is reached it will have to go to an SPFL tribunal where the Dons are likely to be awarded more than the cross-border compensation fee.
Barron recently joined Rangers under freedom of contract on a four-year deal
Talks are ongoing with the Ibrox club and Aberdeen chief executive Alan Burrows hopes an agreement can be agreed.
However the Dons have warned they are ready to go to a tribunal to get maximum value for the Pittodrie Youth Academy graduate.
Burrows said: “We are still trying to negotiate it with Rangers.
“The formal process, before it goes to a tribunal, is that there has to be an attempt by both parties to try to find a solution.
“One has to put an offer forward, you either agree or disagree.
“You then put a counter-offer forward and you either agree or disagree with that.
“If the two parties can’t come to an arrangement then it goes to a tribunal.
“If there isn’t agreement between the two clubs then we are fully prepared to go to a tribunal.
“It is our job to get the best value for any player and we will try and do that with Connor Barron.
“Ideally, in all walks of life, we would like to avoid situations where you have to go to tribunals but if we have to we will.”
‘We have a value of what we believe Connor is worth’
Barron was tracked by clubs from Italy and the English Championship but opted to sign on at Rangers until summer 2028.
It is understood Italian Serie A side Hellas Verona offered Barron a deal and there was also interest from Cardiff City, Plymouth and Stoke City.
Burrows believes it is in the interest of all parties to reach an agreement over a fee to avoid going to a tribunal.
He said: “I’m hoping we can come to an amicable agreement.
“That lets everyone move on.
“If that doesn’t happen then it will have to be a tribunal and we’ll see how that runs.
“Is it in everyone’s interests for it to be sorted before that? I’d say so.
“But the difficulty is that both parties might have a different view of the valuation.
“That’s usually the case in any negotiation and usually you meet in the middle.
“We have a value of what we believe Connor is worth moving in the domestic market.
“There’s a framework set down by FIFA if it’s international, but domestically it’s a bit different.
“Aberdeen have been involved in one before with Lewis Ferguson so there’s experience of that, and if it goes to that we’ll be well prepared.”
Burrows on want-away Duk’s future
Barron could be joined in exiting Pittodrie this summer by striker Duk.
Cape Verde international Duk recently urged Aberdeen to sell him this summer or risk lose him for free.
Duk is contracted to the Dons until summer 2025 and would be free to sign a pre-contract from January 1.
Burrrows confirmed there have been no offers for the attacker and said selling players like Duk is part of the club’s trading model.
But he will only exit Pittodrie this summer if the price is right.
He said: “Aberdeen operates a player trading model and our fans are well versed in that.
“The way it works is you bring players in, play them and then move them on.
“Everyone understands it, we have sold a lot of players over the years and Duk will be no different.
“He’s in the final year of his deal, as far as we are concerned he’s an Aberdeen player and will be here for pre-season.
“We are willing to see the player trading model through to its conclusion, but it has to be at the right value for the football club.”
Benfica fee clause in Duk transfer
Duk’s former club Benfica are understood to be due 50% of any fee if he is to be sold.
Burrows said: “I’d normally be hesitant to talk about individual contracts but this has been discussed so publicly.
“There are considerations in the contract, it’s not that complicated because all deals have it to some extent.
“But in this one it’s the value attached to it.
“As it stands, we’ve not had any offers for Duk in this window and he’s due back here soon.”
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