Ryan Kent has clearly decided he won’t be signing a new contract at Rangers before the end of the season.
I think that’s pretty evident now. So he’s waiting to see what offers are there for him in the summer before finalising his future. He’ll look at every option and weigh it up against staying at Ibrox. That’s his right. Burnley appear to be the club that’s shown concrete interest in him. So it’s a Premier League opportunity for Kent.
And in terms of how they play under Vincent Kompany, it actually looks a good fit. The role he’d be deployed in at Turf Moor would be similar to the one he’s got now at Rangers. I got to see Burnley first-hand under Kompany recently when I was at Huddersfield as assistant manager. He’s got the Clarets playing “total football”, which matches up with the style Kent plays in.
But what he’ll have to consider is this – what type of season is he in for next year? Up here, Kent is playing with one of the big two. He’s on the ball constantly. Will it be like that with Burnley in the Premier League? I don’t think so. They won’t dominate the way they’ve done in the Championship this term. That’s probably be going through Kent’s head right now, if there’s an offer on the table from Kompany.
But, from Rangers’ point of view, where is Michael Beale’s cut-off point? How long does he give Kent to make up his mind? I’m pretty sure Michael is now preparing for life without his winger. At the same time and behind the scenes, I bet he’s still trying to convince him Ibrox is where his future lies.
As I’ve always said, if it’s a choice between keeping Kent or Alfredo Morelos at the club, I’m certain Michael would choose Kent. Beale has also to consider how much is would cost Rangers to keep the star. And does what we’ve seen from Kent in the last three or four years warrant the kind of contract he will demand? Has he really been worth the £7million Rangers paid for him from Liverpool?
It’s a major dilemma for Michael and the board. But without knowing Kent as a boy, I think that’s where his head will be at right now. We’re at the end of April now so he’s not going to sign before the summer. But Rangers DO have a bit of control because at some point they have to draw a line under it and trigger moves for his replacement. Listen, going to Burnley will appeal to Kent. Purely and simply because it’s the Premier League.
And they’ve been sensational under Kompany. The job he’s done so far has been incredible. So I can understand why he might want that move in a football sense. The financial gains he’ll get from going there will also be a huge, positive factor in his head. To pick a player of Kent’s calibre up for free – and remember he’s still only 26 – Burnley will be able to offer serious wages.
I don’t want to imagine what they might be able to give him. But it’ll be big. Ultimately, in today’s market he’s still at least a £5m player. So it’s easy for them to give him a cracking three-year contract. I get why players want to go to England. You’ve seen some of the numbers bandied about down there. As an individual, it can be very tempting. If Kent craves a Premier League move, this is his best opportunity at the optimum point in his career.
And you know what? I don’t blame him for eyeing up the options. He’s had five years at Ibrox, won a league, a Scottish Cup and was a kick of his boot away from winning a European trophy. Fans will always demand more from him. But his ability isn’t in doubt. Remember, for some players the novelty of playing in Scotland wears off after five months, never mind five years.
I’ve seen it myself. Reality can hit some of them when they rock up to Fir Park or Firhill and it’s not the same vibe as Ibrox or Parkhead. Kent has embraced life at Rangers. But that doesn’t mean he feels the same way as an Allan McGregor or a Scotty Arfield for whom the novelty NEVER wears off.
It depends on how invested Kent is in the club. I left Ibrox to go to England then abroad. But I ended up coming back. That’s because there are few clubs as big as Rangers or Celtic. That’s a fact. If you buy into it, it never leaves you. James Tavernier will, for example, feel that now. But it’s not for everybody. And as a player, you look elsewhere and think: ‘Could I go and play there’?
I did it myself. But I quickly learned that it just isn’t the same. A club like Rangers leave a mark on you and, irrespective of where Kent might end up, he’ll discover that for himself. I played beside better players than him – Dutch, German, Italian internationals – and they still come back to Ibrox because they’re adored here.
That’s the impact the club have on you. I played in the recent Legends game and aside from the boys who were stripped, there were 12 who just turned up to be there. Micheal Mols was in crutches, Jorg Albertz had an Achilles injury and Bert Konterman was in the dressing room with his suit on.
I actually know guys who phoned up ASKING to be part of it. That’s what being at Rangers does. And even if Kent gets his big move to the Premier League, time will tell whether it’s the right call. In the first few months, I reckon he’ll know if he’s made a mistake or not.
All of those things might be swirling around his head right now. I still wouldn’t rule out him being a Rangers player next season. But you have to say, the longer it goes, it looks less likely that’s going to be the case.
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