Bent weighs in on two-way transfer tussle for pre-season star Kent

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Speaking to Football Insider, Darren Bent has weighed in on speculation linking young Reds winger, Ryan Kent, with a move to either Leeds or Rangers, despite promising pre-season performances.

“You’d have to say Rangers have got the advantage because he’s been there already,” was Bent’s on-the-nose opinion on the matter.

“He’s been there already and knows Steven Gerrard so he’s comfortable there. You talk about Leeds, they’re one of the big clubs in this country, looking to get promoted.

“It’s such a tough decision because some people go you’re playing for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, others saying the Championship is like the Scottish Premiership and it’s Leeds and it’s a harder standard.

“If it was me and I knew Steven Gerrard, played there last season, he wants me back again, I’d be more inclined to stay where I’m at because there’s not too many changes.”

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Not exactly the most insightful take, is it? That said, at root, if the Reds winger were to leave, Bent’s probably right to advise a second spell at Rangers; it might potentially suit all parties if Jürgen Klopp feels he still has more to learn.

Of course, all of this is being spoken of within the context of reports that Klopp will block Steven Gerrard from trying to bring Kent back.

Unlike the Elland Road option under Marcelo Bielsa, a move back to Ibrox could mean the potential of playing European football under Gerrard again, which would push the young winger further along his learning curve.

At 22-years-old, Kent already has a surprising amount of experience for his age. The Oldham-born winger has had loan spells at Coventry City, Barnsley, Bundesliga side Freiburg, and Bristol City, before being award the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year during his most recent loan at Rangers.

Kent has been at Liverpool since joining the academy at age of seven, but made his first-team debut in a pre-season game against Brisbane Roar back in 2015.

More Stories Darren Bent Jürgen Klopp Marcelo Bielsa Rangers Ryan Kent Steven Gerrard