Journalist Stuart Hodge has hinted that Ryan Kent might want to leave Rangers following the departure of Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard brought Kent to Ibrox back in 2018 on loan before signing him permanently 12 months later after a successful spell in Glasgow.

But after Gerrard's appointment at Aston Villa, Hodge reckons that the Gers winger might want to follow suit.

How did Kent perform under Gerrard?

Prior to Kent's switch to Rangers, he had to make do with spells out on loan in the Championship and League One to pick up consistent game-time.

Read More - January Transfer Window 2022: When does it open, when does it close and which players are going to move?

But moving to Rangers finally kickstarted his career and after enjoying success on loan in 2018-2019 which saw him net six goals and chip in with nine assists, a permanent move appeared likely to follow.

p1flbafghl1m4f10iukk9flq1inkn.jpg

ENTER GIVEAWAY

Since making the £7m move from Liverpool, Kent has gone from strength to strength and helped the Scottish giants end their wait for a league title last term by directly contributing to 17 goals in the league.

But following Gerrard's appointment at Villa Park, Kent's future suddenly appears in doubt, and he's already been linked to join the ex-Gers boss in the Midlands.

This comes after Rangers rejected a £10m offer from Leeds for Kent's services in 2020, but Hodge believes that the winger might finally get his move away from Ibrox now Gerrard is gone.

Sancho SCREAMER seals it! Full reaction to Villarreal 0-2 Man Utd on The Football Terrace...

What did Hodge say?

He told GIVEMESPORT: "I think Gerrard was a big factor in getting him there and I think now that Gerrard has left, especially if Gerrard decides that's one of the players that he wants to go back for, things could change."

Is Kent likely to join Villa in January?

According to the Daily Record, Gerrard is expected to be heavily backed in the January window and he wants to make Kent his first signing as Villa boss.

But whilst Kent, who earns £18,000 per-week, clearly enjoyed playing under Gerrard, there's no guarantee that he'll want to move to Aston Villa or even play in the Premier League.

However, with the greatest respect to Rangers, there's no doubting the step-up in quality from the Scottish Premiership to the Premier League and whilst Villa are unlikely to offer European football like Rangers can, Villa would represent a great opportunity for Kent.

Therefore, it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see this deal happen in January, providing Gerrard gets his way with the Villa hierarchy.