Connor Barron: 'No mad panic' from Aberdeen over new contract for midfielder

Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin says there is “no mad panic” to tie midfielder Connor Barron down on a new contract and says he wants the 20-year-old to keep focusing on his football.

Aberdeen midfielder Connor Barron is contracted to the Dons until the summer of 2024.

The Scotland Under-21 internationalist missed the start of the season due to injury, but returned to action in the recent 4-0 defeat by Dundee United and started the last two Aberdeen matches which both resulted in victory. Barron’s breakthrough into the Dons’ first-team last season caught the eye of several clubs, with Celtic said to be monitoring the player. He agreed an improved deal in January until the summer of 2024 but Aberdeen have since opened fresh negotiations in a bid to keep one of their prized assets for the long term.

“We have had some really good conversations with Connor’s representatives,” said Goodwin ahead of Saturday’s cinch Premiership match away at Motherwell. “He has been out injured for a long time, we are trying to manage him properly and make sure there’s no reoccurrence of that knee injury and ask too much of him. The last thing you want due to fatigue is pulling a muscle and finding him out for even longer.

“Connor has played pretty much every game for me when he’s been available. Hopefully that’s a situation we can get sorted sooner rather than later. But there’s no mad panic with it. Connor knows what we think. I want him to focus on his football and do the best he can. The contract situation will be left to the director of football and Connor’s agent.”

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack commented on Barron’s situation earlier in the week, saying: “It all comes down to whether Connor sees his future at Aberdeen beyond the two years he has left. We’ve made a significant offer to the player to stay with Aberdeen but we’re not in control of that situation. He and his agent are in control.”