Neil Lennon weighs in on Ryan Kent transfer talk and issues ‘better’ warning

Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon has weighed in on the possibility of Rangers star Ryan Kent bagging a move to the Premier League.

Kent is being linked with a move away from Ibroz ahead of his contract expiring at the end of the current season. Rangers have held talks with the winger over a new deal, but they are yet to convince him to pledge his future to the club. Kent could now leave for free at the end of the season, and he can agree a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside Scotland from January 1.

That will be a concern for Rangers, who must also consider the notion of selling him in January to avoid losing one of their prize assets for free. Whether they are willing to do that is another question, and much will depend on whether they are confident that Kent will sign a new deal before the end of the season.

But amid links with a Premier League switch, there is also a question over whether Kent is indeed good enough to be an English top-flight player. Former Celtic boss Lennon has weighed in on the topic, believing the answer is yes, but he also thinks Rangers will stay patient for now.

He said, as cited by the Glasgow Times: “Ryan Kent is a very good player. He has not been productive over the last six months as he previously has been, but he is a player who is good enough for the Premier League. It will be interesting to see though if he would want to stay or go.

“(Lanis) Hagi is a talented player who will need to have bulked up as he is a little light for the Scottish league, so I’m hoping he will have come back from the break as an improved player. However, I will be amazed if Rangers decide to sell Ryan, and I’m not aware of a huge amount of interest for him. He will need to be better in the second half of the season before anyone takes him on.”