Aston Villa target Ryan Kent is a ‘big admirer’ of manager Steven Gerrard from their time together at Rangers, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The 25-year-old’s current contract is due to expire next summer, and with no sign of him putting pen to paper on fresh terms, pastures new could await the talented attacker.
What is the latest news involving Kent?
Last winter, the Daily Mail claimed that Gerrard was prepared to raid his former club for the services of Kent as he looked to turn things around at Villa Park.
However, a formal offer never arrived for the former England Under-20 international, and he ended up staying with Rangers, helping them claim the Scottish Cup while reaching the final of the Europa League.
Things didn’t go quite so smoothly for Gerrard, though, who ended up losing 12 of his 27 Premier League games in charge of Villa, guiding them to an underwhelming 14th-placed finish.
Yet the Midlands outfit have still managed to tie Philippe Coutinho down to a permanent deal before also signing Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos in the early of the transfer window, providing hope that next term will be more successful.
And Gerrard could turn to a familiar face in Kent if he wishes to bolster his options out wide, especially as the pacey operator will be available in a cut-price deal.
What has O’Rourke said about Kent?
O’Rourke believes Gerrard’s connections to Kent could prove beneficial in any potential negotiations, and that the player looks up to his former mentor who once described him as "sensational".
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He told GiveMeSport: “If Villa were to move for Ryan Kent, obviously, the fact that Steven Gerrard is there and knows all about Kent could work in their favour.
“Gerrard worked really hard to bring Kent to Rangers from Liverpool because he's such a big admirer of him. And obviously, that goes both ways, I think, with Kent a big admirer of Steven Gerrard as well.”
Would Kent be a good signing?
Kent moved to Rangers from boyhood club Liverpool on an initial season-long loan deal in July 2018 before making the switch permanent a year later for £7.5 million.
Since then, he has registered 30 goals and 48 assists in 174 appearances for the Gers across all competitions, showcasing his quality both domestically and in European competition.
Whether Villa revive their interest in Kent remains to be seen, but he could be someone Gerrard is keeping a close eye on as the window develops.