According to a recent interview conducted by Football Insider, ex Premiership striker Noel Whelan has urged Ryan Kent to develop as a winger and even gone to the extent of comparing him with Manchester City’s English star Raheem Sterling. The speedster has been a regular in Steven Gerrard’s elevens at the Ibrox so far this season, and understandably so. Not only has he provided them with the necessary creativity in attack, but he has chipped in with some key goals as well. Despite this, Whelan believes that the former Liverpool man could become a ‘complete winger’ by working in his finishing in front of goal.
Although Whelan has claimed that Rangers’ Ryan Kent can be worth £30m if he improves finishing, whether or not his career takes the same trajectory as that of Sterling remains to be seen. Speaking on the matter, the former Aberdeen man said, “To be a better player and that complete midfield player, that complete winger, you’ve got to be putting chances away. We say it about Patrick Bamford, we say about certain other players – Raheem Sterling has got better in that department, he has improved the same way that Ryan Kent needs to improve. That final pass, that final ball sometimes can be better, and that finishing in front of goal and that composure, he’s going to be more ruthless. If he’s more ruthless like that, you’re talking in the £25-30million pound mark.”
What Kind Of Player Is Rangers’ Ryan Kent?
The Englishman is arguably one of the best wingers in the entirety of the Scottish top-flight, if not the standalone best. The fact that he was a member of the Liverpool academy for so long highlights the actual quality that he possesses. Steven Gerrard’s undying desire to bring him to Rangers was also a clear indication of what he’s capable of on the football pitch. Primarily a left-sided winger, the speedster offers excellent close-control and dribbling abilities, while also being a dangerous crosser of the ball. Another one of the attacker’s strongest qualities is his ability to pick out a pass inside the box if there’s a player better positioned.
The only complaint that has come in from time to time, is that his finishing skills in front of goal need to improve. Despite being a strong dribbler, who is also capable of breaking opposition defences down with a single swing of his leg, his lack of a direct goal threat does make him look underwhelming at times. It’s nothing that can’t be addressed with a little bit of finishing-intensive training though. The example of Raheem Sterling was actually a perfect one, as the Manchester City man used to be in a similar boat when it came to finishing.
However, Sterling has developed into one of the best finishers in the entire Manchester City squad, to the point where Pep Guardiola has even resorted to playing him as the main striker when the more natural options were unavailable. A similar kind of development could see Kent become one of the deadliest players in not just the Premiership, but potentially also in the whole of Europe. The Rangers man’s pace and directness already showcase the attacking threat that he possesses, and some added intensive work in training could convert him into quite the player.
Rangers’ Ryan Kent Can Be Worth £30m If He Improves Finishing: Why The Ibrox Club Must Expedite His Development
The 23-year-old first arrived at Rangers as part of a loan deal in the summer of 2018, with the move being made permanent over the next summer. Despite still being rather young, Kent has grown into one of Steven Gerrard’s most important players, and his absence from the team would likely require a lot of patching up to overcome. Selling Kent has seemingly never been in the agenda, and rightfully so. Given the right kind of training and nurturing, Kent can turn into the player that carries this Rangers team into the future, and even if a team does offer £30m right now, it’s not a deal that they should even consider taking.
