Rangers are exploring a potential loan move for Bournemouth right-back Max Aarons, according to multiple reports. While there’s no official confirmation yet, several credible outlets have suggested that talks are underway, and that new boss Russell Martin is keen on a reunion with a player he knows well.
It’s a move that would make sense on a tactical level. But fans have been burned by early transfer hype already this summer—and there are some important caveats to consider.
🏃♂️ What Max Aarons Would Bring to Rangers
Aarons offers something Rangers desperately need—raw pace and direct attacking play from deep. His overlapping runs, high pressing, and energy are a natural fit for Martin’s aggressive, ball-dominant style.
In terms of output, he’s an active defender—averaging nearly 4 tackles per 90—and he ranks among the top full-backs in dribbling metrics during his time in Spain. Technically sound and with Champions League-level experience at a young age, he’d raise the standard in Rangers’ backline.
He also has a strong existing bond with Martin, once describing him as a “father figure”—a connection that could fast-track his adjustment to life at Ibrox.
🤕 Injury Record – Manageable, But Real
Aarons missed significant time during the 2023–24 season due to two hamstring injuries—one while at Bournemouth, another during his loan spell with Valencia—as well as a brief calf issue late in the campaign. He managed just nine appearances across both clubs.
These are the typical muscular injuries seen in pace-reliant full-backs and aren’t considered long-term issues. But they will require careful management if he joins Rangers, especially given the physical demands of Scottish football and the European schedule.
🔁 Rotation or Disruption?
One of the key questions this move raises is what it means for James Tavernier.
- If Aarons is coming in as cover, competition or a replacement, it makes a lot of sense.
- But if this is the start of shifting Tav to a right-sided centre-back role, then alarm bells should ring.
Rangers have struggled in recent seasons with square-peg-round-hole selections—trying to accommodate good players in unfamiliar roles, only to see performances suffer. Tavernier’s strengths are attacking, not positional discipline in central defence. Asking him to step inside would likely weaken both positions.
🧩 A Sign of a Bigger Rebuild?
What also shouldn’t be overlooked is that this appears to be a straight season-long loan. There’s no suggestion that an option to buy will be included—and frankly, it would be a surprise if it was. Even if Bournemouth were to name a price, it’s unlikely Rangers would be willing to meet it.
This suggests a short-term solution for a potentially long-term problem.
And here’s the real kicker: Tavernier is entering the final year of his contract. That means that by next summer, Rangers could realistically be looking to replace both right-backs in the squad.
If Aarons excels, he’ll return to Bournemouth with a raised profile. If Tavernier leaves or declines further, Rangers may be starting from scratch.
🔄 On Harry Darling…
It’s also worth noting that another player linked with a move to Ibrox—Harry Darling—has now signed for Norwich. That deal is off the table, reducing the pool of familiar faces Martin might have wanted to bring in and putting more focus on securing Aarons, if the club want a trusted, Premier League-level option.
Harry Darling to Rangers? Why This One Feels Real, but turned out not to be!
🧠 Final Word
This is a credible link, but not a done deal. Aarons would be a strong addition—if the fitness holds and if the right-back position isn’t destabilised to fit him in. But with no long-term clause likely, and Tavernier’s future also up in the air, the bigger question might not be if Aarons signs—but what comes after.
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