Rangers don’t need to sign someone to replace Ryan Kent, Todd Cantwell has proven that he can be the man to fill the creative gap for Michael Beale.
In just ten Scottish Premiership fixtures, the former Norwich City playmaker has two goals and four assists, just one goal behind Kent already.
Cantwell’s two goals have also demonstrated the sort intent that the £7m winger hasn’t shown since winning the league in 2020/21.
A recurring problem with this Rangers team is that not enough bodies are committed to the box but, against St Mirren, it looked as though the message was finally getting through.
Scott Arfield’s run for Rangers stunning fifth goal a perfect demonstration of what Michael Beale is looking for, Todd Cantwell with the sort of football that saw him once linked with Liverpool and valued at a reported £50m.
It was, dare I say, Gazza-esque.
What role will Todd Cantwell play for Rangers if he replaces Ryan Kent?
Forgotten man Tom Lawrence will add numbers to Rangers’ midfield and, even if Malik Tillman isn’t signed on a permanent deal, the Welshman’s return to fitness will be a massive boost for the Gers gaffer.
Beale will also have the luxury of being able to rotate Lawrence and Cantwell during games because they are both capable of playing in deeper roles or in the front three.
Watch the run of Cantwell for his goal, for example, we just don’t see this type of thing from Kent.
When Alfredo Morelos scored a close range third, Cantwell’s headed flick might have been lucky to find the Colombian, however, Ryan Kent wouldn’t be in the right position to make that first contact.
Kent has almost been fortunate this season in that there have been so many injuries because with a fully fit squad I’m not sure he could have justified the guaranteed start that he once commanded.
What we also have to remember is that when Todd Cantwell arrived for a fee said to be £1.5m, the January signing hadn’t played a lot of football before putting pen to paper and we are only now starting to see the best of him.
For years we used to think that Kent’s work rate and ability to excite excused his lack of numbers, Cantwell has shown that we can have both.
