Glasgow Rangers brought Barker to Ibrox from Manchester City amid reported interest from Old Firm rivals Celtic.
Glasgow Rangers legend Derek Johnstone has given his opinion on Ibrox new-boy and reported Celtic ex-target Brandon Barker following his arrival at Steven Gerrard’s side, in conversation with the Glasgow Evening Times.
The 22-year-winger old completed his move to Rangers from Manchester City on Friday, putting pen to paper on a three-year deal at Ibrox after opting to leave the club where he came through the ranks.
Barker joined the English Premier League champions aged eight and rose through the club’s ranks, getting his first taste of first-team action during a loan spell with Rotherham United, before stints with Dutch side NAC Breda, Hibernian, and Preston North End.
The attacker has also been capped at various England youth levels, and won the Manchester City Elite Development Squad Player of the Year during the 2013-14 season, but leaves having made just one senior first-team appearance (Transfermarkt).
At present, Rangers have quite a few wide players, but Ibrox legend Johnstone believes that Barker – who was reportedly also on Celtic’s radar (Daily Mail) earlier in the summer – is talented and must have something about him if Gerrard recruited him, although he stressed that the Gers are a different proposition from Hibs.
“When he played for Hibernian, he certainly looked the part and he is the kind of forward that the manager likes because he is quick and he has that ability to really trouble defenders,” Johnstone wrote in the Glasgow Evening Times. “But playing for Rangers is very different and this is a new challenge for him. I don’t care what he did there, I care about what he can bring to Rangers this season.
“The manager obviously feels he can come in and do a job in the team and the squad and the supporters will back Steven’s judgement on that and, like everyone that comes in, give Brandon the chance to prove himself. He is clearly someone with a lot of talent and a lot of potential so this is a chance for him to go and realise that ability and really make an impact.”
Rangers will seek to build on their Scottish Premiership opening win at Kilmarnock last weekend and Europa League third qualifying round first-leg win at Midtjylland in midweek when they face Hibs at Ibrox on Sunday, the overall goal to clinch silverware ahead of the rivals at Parkhead.
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