When numerous first-team players’ contracts expired last summer, Michael Beale let them go, leaving Glasgow Rangers with a significant rebuilding job on their hands.
The 2022–2023 campaign ended with notifications to Allan McGregor, Ryan Kent, Filip Helander, Scott Arfield, and Alfredo Morelos that they would not be getting extensions.
Helander, McGregor, and Arfield were all over 30, and Beale thought he needed to take a different approach for the upcoming campaign for obvious reasons.
Losing Kent and Morelos for nothing was bad business in their eyes. Over the years, the pair had become fan favorites, dazzled during moments, and assisted the Ibrox team in winning their first Premiership in 10 years in the 2020–21 season.
At his peak, Morelos was unstoppable, and he scored 124 goals in 269 appearances for the Gers, setting a new record for them in European play. In 2017, he only cost £1 million, but he more than paid for it over the years.
Although Kent’s skill on the left flank made him unplayable at times as well, there was a sense that he underperformed at Rangers, especially given the price they paid to recruit him.
The sum paid by the Rangers to acquire Ryan Kent
After a fruitful loan stint at Ibrox in Steven Gerrard’s debut season as manager, when he picked up nine assists and scored six goals, the former captain of Anfield utilized his contacts at the team and his rapport with Jürgen Klopp to finalize a permanent transfer for the winger.
In fact, the Englishman—who will cost the Light Blues approximately £7.5 million—was revealed as their newest addition on September 3rd, 2019, marking the highest transfer fee since the team’s return to the Premiership in 2016.
Rangers player Ryan Kent’s statistics
Given the sum of money required to acquire his services, the wingswinger’s 12 goal contributions—eight goals and four assists—were barely spectacular.
The next season, he more than made up for it as the Gers improved month after month and crushed Celtic to win a record-tying 55th league title. At moments, Kent was outstanding.
The right-back has contributed more than ten times as many goals and assists as Kent has this season alone, with 21 goals and 10 assists in all competitions for the Light Blues.
Given that Kent was eager to leave, the club may have wanted to sign him to a longer deal in order to get a higher price, but his departure was undoubtedly timely.
As previously noted, the former Anfield jewel was a magician on the left wing in his prime, easily defeating opponents and having a sharp eye for goal.
But in his last few months with Rangers, his play quickly declined and the fans lost sight of the winger who had been so brilliant in his first few years in Glasgow.
Whatever happens, Kent needs to join with a team in the summer where he can play regularly. If he doesn’t, his previously extraordinary talent will go, and he might even need to drop a level to restore his reputation.
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