Rangers overhaul needed, half-decent fee to be accepted by Ryan Kent – Gary Keown
Michael Beale will be judged based on how he constructs his Rangers squad capable of fighting for the SPFL title next season, as suggested by Garry Keown.
Writing his column for the Scottish Mail on Sunday (1 January, page 91), Keown says that the Bears should accept a half-decent fee for winger Ryan Kent while striker Alfredo Morelos should be “punted”.
Beale wants to keep the likes of Steven Davis and Ryan Jack at Ibrox, but Keown wants the Gers manager to get rid of the old guards.
“Morelos should be punted. If someone offers half-decent money for Kent this month, he should go too,” wrote Keown for the Scottish Mail on Sunday.
“Jack has been too injury-prone and Davis cannot be looking at playing next season along with joining the coaching stuff.
“That Beale is content to leave the goalkeeping situation until the summer suggests he knows he has a free pass until then. He’s like to win his first Old Firm game as boss, of course, but tomorrow’s match is largely irrelevant.
“Celtic are too far ahead. The league is theirs. Where Beale will be judged is in constructing a squad capable of hitting the ground running in August and challenging for next year’s title while being ready for the European qualifiers.”
Partially right
Keown is partially right here. The squad needs a massive overhaul and Beale needs to get rid of the old guards.
The club should look to bring in new faces to replace them in the summer, while a strong decision needs to be taken on the future of three players who are out of contract at the end of the season.
Jack, Morelos, and Kent are in the final few months of their current deals. Of the three, Kent is being reportedly targeted by Premier League club Southampton [The Mirror; 23 December, page 53] and if they are really willing to offer £5m for him, the club should take it.
However, the league is not over yet. Celtic are emerging as strong favourites to win the league, but things can change quickly if they lose the next Old Firm game on Monday (2 January).
The gap will be down to six points, and Rangers will hope that they can take the race to the end, albeit mathematically.
Even if the Bears manage to finish the season behind Celtic by 3-4 points, it will be seen as a big improvement under Beale.
In other Rangers news, a £5million twist has emerged in Southampton’s bid to sign Ryan Kent.