Rangers will be "desperate" for Ryan Kent not to run down his contract, says journalist Pete O'Rourke.
The 25-year-old's current deal is up in 2023, and he does not look close to signing a new one amid interest from the Premier League.
What is the latest news surrounding Ryan Kent?
Steven Gerrard recently left Rangers for Aston Villa and there is now talk about the 41-year-old wanting to bring Kent to Villa Park.
According to the Daily Record, Kent would be top of Gerrard's list if made available, with team-mate Glen Kamara also there.
In fact, the same report claims Villa have been tracking Kamara for a while now, so the Finnish midfielder would have a head start.
If Gerrard really is keen on bringing Kent to the Midlands club, he could face serious competition from Premier League rivals Leeds United.
Marcelo Bielsa has been a long-term admirer of the £12.6m-rated winger so could make a move for him if Rangers decide to sanction a sale.
What has Pete O'Rourke said about Ryan Kent's contract situation?
Kent appears to be running down his contract, and O'Rourke believes that is the last thing Rangers want.
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Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the transfer insider said: "They'll be desperate not to let him run down that contract. Rangers would miss out on their valuable money if they were not to sell him should they got a suitable offer in the summer."
Can Rangers keep hold of Ryan Kent?
At this point, Kent leaving Ibrox looks inevitable with all of this Premier League interest. His contract is also obviously a problem, but Rangers probably do not need to sell just yet.
Again, it is up in 2023, so the Glasgow club will have an opportunity to sell him next summer and do not have to worry about losing him on a free in that window.
Kent should not rush into anything either. A reunion with his former manager in arguably the best football division in the world sounds tempting, but is the Englishman going to be a regular starter?
Villa already have several wide players like Emiliano Buendia and Leon Bailey, who both joined the Midlands outfit during the summer.
The likes of Anwar El Ghazi and Bertrand Traore are also still at the club, while Ollie Watkins has played on the flank, too, so space could be made for Danny Ings.
Rangers, of course, will still be hoping to keep hold of a player who made a big contribution to their title-winning season with his goals and assists.