Rangers must hand ‘game changer’ Ryan Kent £1m-per-year pay rise – Keith Jackson
Ryan Kent has emerged as a “game changer” under Michael Beale and Rangers must hand him the contract he desires, as suggested by Keith Jackson.
The Daily Record journalist (26 December, page 46) wrote that Kent has been playing a pivotal role in Beale’s tactical reshuffle, and the club may have to pay him whatever he wants.
Kent has a contract at the club until the end of the season and as of now, there has been no update on what the future holds for him.
Douglas Park said in AGM (6 December) that Kent’s wage demands and what Rangers want to offer may be too wide apart to be bridged at the moment.
Jackson suggests that even if Kent demands a fee in the region of £1million more each year, it is still worth giving him the deal.
“In other words, Kent is Beale’s game changer. And that’s precisely why the new boss needs to have his immediate future secured as a matter of urgency,” wrote Jackson for The Daily Record.
“Chairman Douglas Park appeared to suggest at the club’s AGM that the gap between what Kent wants and what Rangers are willing to pay him is too wide to be bridged.
“But there is sound economic basis to making an offer that Kent finds too difficult to refuse. Even if he is asking for £10,000 a week more than Rangers believe him to be worth, that’s a small price to pay for a player upon whom Beale is so utterly reliant.
“As a matter of fact, if Kent wants £20,000 more than Rangers consider to be the going rate, there’s a strong argument to be made that it’s still worth giving him what he wants.
“That might mean upping his wages by somewhere in the region of a million quid a year but if they should fail to stump up the extra cash then they will lose Kent for next to nothing.”
Keep him
Kent has been outstanding in the first three games under the new manager.
Rangers have picked up nine points from three games under Beale, where Kent looked to have returned to his old best. Beale has made a tactical switch where he is using Kent in a more central attacking position.
Under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Kent was mainly used as an out-and-out winger, and he became quite predictable.
This has been one of the major criticisms against Kent. Despite his brilliance, he doesn’t contribute enough in terms of goals and assists.
However, Kent is now looking more dangerous as he is being given the freedom to control the game from central areas. There is unpredictability in his game, and that’s why he is developing into a game-changer under the new boss.
According to a report from The Mirror (23 December), Southampton want to sign Kent in a £5m deal in January. It would be a huge waste of talent and quality if Kent ends up in a relegation battle instead of fighting for league honours.
In other Rangers news, a £5million twist has emerged in Southampton’s bid to sign Ryan Kent.