Should be flattered but Celtic target urged to stay put by former Scotland star

Duncan Shearer has urged Connor Barron to stay put at Aberdeen. 

Following Sunday’s appearance for Scotland’s u-21 side in the 0-0 draw away to Belgium the Daily Express claimed that the midfielder is a transfer target for Celtic. 

Barron signed a new contract in January, running until May 2024, starting 13 matches in the SPFL as Aberdeen finished the season in the bottom half of the table. 

Those performances caught the attention of Celtic but Shearer told the Press and Journal: 

The Aberdeen midfielder has put in some very good performances whenever I’ve watched him and he showed on Sunday with the Scotland under-21s in their goalless draw with Belgium how good a prospect he is. 

He should be flattered with the link to the Hoops – they are the Scottish champions after all – but my advice is to try to ignore if it he can. 

He cannot influence what happens here but he should listen to his agent, his manager and his team-mates around him at Pittodrie. 

It is very easy, especially for a teenager, to have their head turned when they are linked with a big move but Barron has only been in the Dons first team for a matter of months. 

He is clearly a part of Jim Goodwin’s plans at the club and my advice for what it is worth would be to stay focused on trying to gain as much experience as possible. 

If he continues to impress and realises the potential his manager sees in him then he has a bright future ahead of him. 

But what he needs now more than anything is matches and experience. He will get both with Aberdeen. 

There is a halfway house where Celtic sign Barron and loan him back to Aberdeen for next season under Jim Goodwin. 

With Ismaila Soro and James McCarthy on the outside looking in Celtic already have more than their quota of first team ready midfielders. 

Scott Robertson and Liam Shaw have returned from loan spells but don’t look to have advanced their claims for a first team place under Ange Postecoglou. 

Barron can look forward to games and experience at Aberdeen, with Celtic able to assess his progress against the sides that he’ll be called upon to face when he gets the full time call to join the hoops. 

Shearer earned seven Scotland caps between 1994 and 1995.