Rangers’ best chance of signing Ryan Kent this summer would be on a loan-to-buy deal, according to The Athletic journalist Jordan Campbell.
The 22-year-old Liverpool winger has been the subject of sustained interest from the Gers during the transfer window, as reported by Football Insider.
But it is understood that the Reds are unlikely to compromise in their demands for a permanent deal, and may only allow Kent, who spent last year on loan at Ibrox, to leave the club on a compulsory loan-to-buy agreement.
Writing during a Q&A for the Athletic, Campbell said: “Rangers and Kent both want it to happen but don’t see Liverpool relenting.
“Best hope is Rangers get a loan to buy near the end of the window.
“Would be compulsory rather than an option I think though.”
TiF Tactics – Is signing Kent a good idea?
You can never have too many good footballers, especially as a side who are desperately trying to chase down their bitter city rivals to regain their place at the pinnacle 0f the domestic game.
Kent is certainly a good footballer. The youngster made a real splash at Ibrox last year, and the manner in which he kicked on under Steven Gerrard’s tutelage saw him go from prospect to proper senior option.
For the Gers, however, that has proven to be a double-edged sword.
Kent’s performances last season, including six goals and nine assists, showed that he has the potential to be an exemplary talent, and the fact that he was awarded the Scottish PFA’s Young Player of the Year award is testament to how well he performed in a crowded field.
That being said, at this stage it would clearly take a sizeable bid to land the starlet.
According to a report from Football Insider, Liverpool are still demanding £10 million for Kent, and at that price, you have to wonder whether it would be a smart move for the Gers, especially when you consider how well another Kop loanee, Sheyi Ojo, has adapted to life north of the border.
Ojo has four goals and three assists in all competitions for Gerrard’s men, and if he continues at his current rate, then the Ibrox faithful might forget about Kent very, very quickly.
Is it likely to happen?
Perhaps not.
Campbell’s prognosis of the situation certainly doesn’t sound too promising, although Rangers’ fans will continue to hang on to the fact that there is a possibility of a deal being struck right until the transfer window shuts.
The only factors that might change things are Liverpool’s potential reluctance to let Kent rot away in the U23s for a year – especially after achieving so much in the senior game last term – and the player’s own reported desperation for a move to happen, as suggested by Football Insider.