Former Aberdeen captain Scott Brown believes Connor Barron will be driven to win the battle to become an irreplaceable first team starter in midfield.
Dons boss Barry Robson has rotated Barron and Leighton Clarkson in a midfield role this season.
When one starts the other is invariably on the bench.
Barron, 21, has started eight games in all competitions this season with a further seven appearances off the bench.
Former Liverpool star Clarkson, a marquee summer signing, has 13 starts and seven substitute appearances this term.
Former Scotland skipper Brown played alongside Barron in midfield during his spell at the Pittodrie in 2021-22.
He immediately noticed the talent and motivation of the Pittodrie Youth Academy graduate, who is in contention to face Rangers at Pittodrie on Sunday.
And Brown reckons Barron will be focused on reaching a level this season where he starts every game for the Reds.
He said: “Connor is a great lad who is still very young and wants to learn.
“I could see he is a real talent when I was training with him.
“I’m delighted Connor has kicked on and is doing really well.
“I’m sure Connor will look forward to trying to ensure he is an established first team player from now until the end of the season.
“To make sure he is the first name on the books for Barry Robson.”
Barron captains the Scotland U21’s
Rising star Barron broke into the Dons first team in January 2022 having been recalled from a loan spell at Kelty Hearts.
Brown was at Pittodrie during that time in a player-coach role under then manager Stephen Glass.
Midfielder Barron became one of the Reds’ standout performers in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.
He was shortlisted for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award.
That form saw Barron on the radar of Celtic, English Premier League side Brentford and Belgian club Genk during the 2022 summer transfer window.
However his momentum was derailed when hit by two injury setbacks last season.
Barron missed the first four months of the 2022-23 campaign due to a knee injury picked up in a pre-season match at Buckie Thistle.
Having returned to action in October last year, the Aberdeen midfielder forced his way back into the team.
However he suffered a pelvic injury in January 2023 which required surgery and kept him out for three months.
Now fully fit, the 21-year-old is revitalised and captained Scotland U21s in the recent Euro U21 qualifiers against Belgium (2-0 win) and Hungary (0-0).
Dons in contract talks with Barron
Barron’s contract with the Dons expires at the end of the season and he will be free to talk to any interested club from the start of the winter window on January 1.
Aberdeen have opened fresh contract talks with the midfielder in a bid to secure the midfielder on an extended deal.
The Dons initially opened talks with Barron and his representative more than a year ago.
A deal was offered with no resolution and they are now back round the table.
Brown said: “Connor is so quick over the ground which is fantastic for a central midfielder.
“He will also take the ball and take on responsibility at that young age as well.”
The rise of Lewis Ferguson in Italy
Former Celtic skipper Brown made 32 appearances, 31 starts, for Aberdeen during his time at Pittodrie.
He ripped up the final 15 months of his contract in March last year when retiring from playing to concentrate on management.
Barron is not the only young midfield talent the 38-year-old who impressed Brown at Pittodrie.
He also rated Lewis Ferguson very highly.
Ferguson secured a £3million move fr0m Aberdeen to Italian Serie A club Bologna last summer.
Scotland international Ferguson has made a major impact in the Italian top flight.
He scored seven goals last season to help Bologna secure their highest league finish in more than a decade.
Ferguson has continued that impressive form this season with three goals.
He is now level on 10 goals with Aberdeen-born Ballon d’Or winning legend Denis Law for the most scored by a Scot in Serie A.
That form has seen Ferguson linked with Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus.
Brown said: “I enjoyed playing with Fergie and Connor.
“Fergie would always take the ball although he maybe wasn’t as quick over the yards as young Connor is.
“However he had a fantastic eye for goal, his link-up play was brilliant.
“Fergie was strong, physical and worked his socks off every day and he got his move to Italy.”
Scott Brown was speaking to The Press and Journal on behalf of luckyblock.com.
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