Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is making moves to keep Kai Kennedy at Ibrox following Premier League interest in the starlet, Football Insider reports.
What's the latest transfer news involving Kai Kennedy?
Football Insider recently reported that the Ibrox side had turned down a six-figure bid from West Ham to sign the 19-year-old, and now a second bid from the London club has been rejected.
It has been reported by The Athletic that Scottish Championship side Dunfermline were expected to take Kennedy on loan for the season, but West Ham's interest in the player has delayed a move to East End Park.
What has Steven Gerrard done to try and keep Kennedy at Rangers?
Football Insider reports that Gerrard has moved to keep the teenager in Glasgow by including him in first-team training.
It remains to be seen whether that'll be enough to keep Kennedy at Ibrox amid interest from West Ham, but it's nonetheless a gesture that shows the youngster is in the Rangers manager's thoughts.
How did Kennedy perform on loan last season?
Kennedy is currently under contract with Rangers until 2023. Last season he had two different loan spells with Championship sides, spending the first-half of the season with Inverness and the second with Raith Rovers.
He played 29 games in total for both sides, scoring two goals and contributing five assists.
Kennedy did perform well on loan. Former Inverness manager John Robertson even compared him to former Ibrox wingers Willie Johnston and Davie Cooper.
That is very high praise, as those players are Rangers legends.
Will Kennedy get into the Rangers first-team this season?
Kennedy's future at Rangers could depend on his chances of breaking into the Ibrox first-team. At 19 years old time is on his side, but Gerrard obviously sees something in the starlet already if he has included him in first-team training.
If we look at the first-team squad on Transfermarkt, the Gers do have plenty of natural left-wingers. The most notable are Ryan Kent and Steven Wright, although Jake Hastie, Glenn Middleton, Brandon Baker and Jordan Jones can all play in that position as well.
Depending on who leaves Rangers permanently or on loan this season, a space could emerge in the squad for Kennedy.
As he's played as an attacking midfielder previously, that might well be the position that Gerrard finds for him in the Gers squad. As Transfermarkt shows, the Ibrox side have plenty of midfielders, but none are No.10 types.
Joe Aribo has played as an attacking midfielder at times but is used more centrally, as are the likes of Steven Davis and Scott Arfield.
Maybe Kennedy will get his chance at Rangers in an advanced role in the middle of the park.
It will be interesting to see if he features in the friendlies at Ibrox this weekend against Brighton and Real Madrid.