Nobody needs to tell Rangers fans that at some point we will have to sell players, not because of any fire sale or because we need to keep the lights on but because it is simply the most efficient way for a club of our size, playing in Scottish football, to operate.
We know who our main assets are and have heard the stories about certain players being linked with transfers and one of those players is Ryan Kent, who, in an article by Jordan Campbell of The Athletic, is the object of Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa’s desires, not only that, but there is a fixed price that he could get him for – if he wants him as much as is claimed.
Campbell reveals details of the interest from the Premier League side but also Kent’s buyout clause:
“Leeds United’s interest is no secret, given they tried to sign him from Liverpool when he instead moved to Rangers permanently in the summer of 2019.
“He is someone Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa personally admires and, once the Argentinian takes a liking to certain players, he is said to become fixated on them.
“The best offer to take Kent to Elland Road was believed to be around £12 million plus future payments, but The Athletic understands his buyout clause is £20 million.”
Given the usual fees that players leave Scottish football for, £20m would seem to be about right, it would be a sizeable profit on the £7m we paid for his services and wouldn’t put off teams still looking to potentially gain from a sale further down the line.
We have to be reasonable, at the moment, Rangers haven’t earned the right to charge exorbitant fees for players because we don’t have a sustained period of success to point at or a history of selling players to the Premier League who have gone on and done well.
Getting the first couple of sales right is key and Kent could well be one of those big name players to depart, if the price is right.