Barry Ferguson has claimed that Liverpool winger Ryan Kent will be Rangers’ number one transfer target in the summer.
Kent, 22, has been in red-hot form while on loan at Ibrox this season, scoring six goals and supplying nine assists in 40 appearances across all competitions for Steven Gerrard’s side.
The Anfield attacker has recently admitted there’s a chance that he could still be a Rangers player next season, and Ferguson believes that whether it’s another loan or a permanent deal, it would be a good deal for the Glasgow giants.
“I think that’s a key signing, I’ve got to be honest with you,” Ferguson told PLZ Soccer, as shown on YouTube [8:09 onwards]. “I think he’ll be at the top of Steven Gerrard’s wanted list, whether that’s on a permanent deal or [loan], obviously Gerrard’s going to have a good relationship with Liverpool.
“When he went out on loan previously he struggled but I’ve been really impressed with him.
“He can win games, I really like him as a player. He’s the right sort of character as well so I’m hopeful that Rangers can get him back.
“Whether it’s on loan or a permanent, I’m not really bothered as long as he’s playing in a Rangers jersey next season.”
OPINION
Rangers have to at least make an effort to sign Kent on another deal in the summer transfer window because he has simply been brilliant this season and is bound to keep on getting better if he is playing regular football at Ibrox. Gerrard obviously has a special relationship with Liverpool, but that does not mean that they will send players to Ibrox on a whim simply because of who their manager is. However it would make a lot of sense for them to let Kent leave in the summer, but only if it was on a permanent deal. Kent’s value is probably maxed out at the moment. He is a young English attacker who is in the form of his career and there are bound to be clubs that are willing to buy him from Liverpool. Loaning him to Rangers for a second season will be a risk because there’s a chance that he could get injured, his form could drop and it also knocks another year off his Anfield contract. Rangers have to try and sign Kent permanently – but it could take a post-2012 record to get it done.