Confirmed: Rarely-seen Rangers talent seals Ibrox loan exit
Rangers winger Kai Kennedy has joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle on loan.
The Scottish Championship confirmed the news via their official website on Sunday.
The teenage talent has been at the centre of a contract stand-off at Ibrox, and was even touted as a potential target for Premier League club Sheffield United prior to wrapping up his deal yesterday.
Kennedy’s stay in Inverness will last until January, and will be his first sustained period of first team action.
The youngster made his senior Gers bow in the Scottish Cup against Stranraer earlier this year, coming off the bench for a nine-minute cameo, but has not featured since.
A statement from Inverness read: “Kai is joining the Scotland U19’s squad tonight as they travel to England for a double header against them this week and we all wish him the very best of luck in both games and we are looking forward to welcoming him to the Highlands on his return and he will go straight into the 1st team squad.”
Is this a good move for Kennedy?
We think so, yes.
The opportunity to play regular first team football should give him a big chance to develop his obvious talent, and given his current contract situation, this should hopefully be a way of placating him for a while longer.
Nobody wants to be held to ransom by a youth player, but Kennedy looks to be a real prospect, and the last thing we want is for the Gers to have another Billy Gilmour situation on their hands, whereby they lose a top young talent for a pittance.
The starlet has reportedly had a number of top clubs sniffing around him, including the likes of Manchester City and Bayern Munich, and seeing him going and making his way in the game away from Ibrox would be a stinging blow.
This loan deal should give him an opportunity to show Steven Gerrard what he is capable of, however, and if he can come back from this spell away in a rich vein of form, perhaps he can leapfrog his way straight into the manager’s plans.
In other Rangers news, Report: Former PL legend wants to sign key Rangers star – but there is one hitch.