'Paid off' - Ferguson reacts as Ryan Kent Rangers return route opens

Rangers will have to investigate a route to bringing Ryan Kent back to the club if the deal would only cost them “buttons”, says Barry Ferguson.

The ex-Ibrox captain told Go Radio on 18 October that Philippe Clement clearly likes the winger after he admitted in his press conference the same day he had tried to sign him for Club Brugge before the Light Blues originally bought him [Rangers Review, 18 October].

So if the price is right it could be a valid possibility for the Englishman to return after he was released by Fenerbahce just 16 months into a four year deal.

Ferguson said, via the Daily Record (18 October): “It’s interesting that Philippe Clement at his previous club tried to sign him. Listen, this is going to split the fan base. I look at his final season and he never really performed, if I’m honest with you, but on his day he was a match winner.

“I wanted to see a level of consistency you want to see from him, but he is a free agent and won’t cost any transfer fee. I’m sure he would have got paid off from Fenerbahce, so wait and see what comes of this.

“I’m sure he was torn coming to the end of his Rangers contract. Rangers obviously wanted to keep him and he has went to Fenerbahce on a high salary, there is no doubt about that, but it has clearly not worked.

“What Ryan Kent has to do is find the right club and become the player that I think he could be. It’s going to be interesting, obviously Philippe Clement likes him and I’m sure there will be a few clubs looking at a player of Ryan Kent’s quality.

“Maybe he has came to an agreement with Fenerbahce and he has been paid up until the end of the season. I don’t know for sure, but if you are going to get him for buttons it may be something you have to look at.”

Rangers return on the cards after Fenerbahce exit?

It would be remiss of Clement and Nils Koppen not to at least look into the possibility of signing Kent, if they believe it could help the team.

The 27-year-old wouldn’t be allowed to play until January and a lot can change in the space of more than two months.

Kent’s final months as a Rangers player previously saw him leave with something of a whimper, just as fellow former star Alfredo Morelos did the same summer, as the pair’s contracts expired two summers ago.

And he evidently hasn’t set the world on fire in Turkey so there is no guarantee that it would be worthwhile.

But if Kent is aware that his career could be on the line after what proved a mistake to sign for the Istanbul giants and he is motivated to regain his previous standing then he has proven before how effective he can be at his best in Scotland.

To get into a situation where he has already proven himself before he would surely need to take a heavy pay cut.

Clement must have known he would only spark further speculation once he revealed he had previously held talks to sign him, even as he refused to be drawn on rumours, and there is no harm in speaking to his agent who is surely going to want to speak to Rangers to see what’s on offer too.

Injury issues in the wide areas have already become a major problem for the Belgian manager, and if that is continuing in the lead up to Christmas there is a very familiar free agent now available.

In other Rangers news, a rare major success at the club is “music to my ears” for an Ibrox favourite.

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