What Rangers bound Max Aarons loves about Russell Martin as pair set for Ibrox reunion
Aarons got a brief taste of what it was like to work with Martin during his early days at Norwich City
Max Aarons once remarked that he always knew Russell Martin would enter the world of management ahead of the duo's imminent reunion at Rangers.
Bournemouth right-back Aarons is close to sealing a loan move to Ibrox, where he could become new Gers boss Martin 's first signing of the summer.
He is set to be joined by out of contract Peterborough star Kwame Poku while Record Sport has learned that deals for Leicester centre half Conor Coady and Maccabi Tel Aviv striker Dor Turgeman are also in the offing.
The former England U21 international didn't make his debut at former club Norwich until August 2018, three months after ex defender Martin's eight-year spell with the Canaries came to an end following a short loan stint with Rangers.
But the 25-year-old - who spent the second half of last season on loan at Valencia in Spain - has revealed that the veteran centre back would often join in training sessions with Norwich's youth team.
And in Aarons view, the "aura" that the 39-year-old possessed made him even more determined to reach the top.
Speaking on the Talk Norwich City Podcast back in April, the defender - who has made 27 appearances for Bournemouth since his £7million switch from Carrow Road in 2023 - said: "With Russ, he had an aura when he came and trained with us.
"For us it was like 'if this guy is training with us you have to be training well every single day'.
"I could feel that when he was training with us. I always knew he would go on to be a manager.
"The players who have played with him always knew that as well.
"When he was training with us, we had to be on it and giving at least 110 per cent because if not, Russ would tell you.
"I loved that. He pushed us in every single training session, and it almost gave me a feeling that I was ready to go and make the jump (to the first team)."
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