Sir Kenny Dalglish fears Ryan Kent could leave Rangers after Ianis Hagi deal
Sir Kenny Dalglish says only “time will tell” what the future holds for Rangers winger Ryan Kent who was superb against Hibernian.
Kent has only a few months left on his current deal at Ibrox, and doubts remain about whether he will sign a new contract.
Dalglish feels that Kent can become a “major player” under Michael Beale, but it depends on how long he remains at the club.
Rangers could consider selling Kent in January, especially after Ianis Hagi signed a new deal at the club. Hagi has agreed terms on a deal on 15 December, that will tie him to the club until 2026.
“Ryan Kent looked in the mood, and he can be a major player for Michael,” wrote Dalglish for Sunday Post [18 December].
“It just depends how long he stays, and I wonder if Ianis Hagi’s new deal means they expect Kent to call time on his Ibrox career at some stage in 2023.
“Time will tell. But as long as he is there, it’s up to the manager and his staff to get the very best out of him.”
Uncertain future
Beale has made it clear that he will be willing to offload players who do not want to stay, and that nobody’s position is safe at the club.
The likes of Kent and Alfredo Morelos will have to show the manager that they deserve a new contract.
Both Kent and Morelos were brilliant in the 3-2 win against the Hibs, and Beale will demand more from these two players.
Rangers paid big money to sign Kent from Liverpool on a permanent deal in the summer of 2019, and it doesn’t make sense for the club to sell him for free next summer.
At the same time, if the Bears decide to offload him in January, they probably won’t be able to recoup the money they paid for him.
Kent is a fantastic player but he really needs to improve his output. Despite his great skills, he doesn’t score many or he provides loads of assists.
At 26, he should be enjoying his prime years. Hopefully, in the coming weeks, we will get a better idea of his situation.
In other Rangers news, an out-of-court agreement could be reached for the Gers as documents have been submitted.