Ryan Kent has been left out of the Fenerbahce squad yet again amid rumours of a return to Rangers for the club’s former £7 million man.
There is no Edin Dzeko for Fenerbahce’s midweek trip to Kayserispor. The former Manchester City striker is injured. Samet Akaydin, meanwhile, is suspended..
There is no such reason for Ryan Kent’s absence, however; the summer signing from Rangers left at home not because of injury or suspension, but simply because he no longer appears to be in the plans of head coach Ismail Kartal.
Ryan Kent linked with shock Rangers return
Kent, who joined The Gers for £7 million and left on a free when his contract expired, has started only one game in the Turkish Super Lig for Fenerbahce. And that came on the opening day, all the way back in August.
He was nowhere to be seen during the successive victories over Sivasspor and Besiktas at the start of this month, and Kent will play no part against Kayserispor either. The Englishman’s latest omission, meanwhile, will only increase the speculation suggesting that he could be on his way out of Istanbul just a few short months into his four-year contract.
But is there another chapter to be written in his Ibrox story?
TEAMtalk claimed back in November that a return to Rangers cannot be ruled out, with Philippe Clement’s side ‘keeping an eye’ on a player who shone during that title-winning campaign under Steven Gerrard. Fenerbahce are in no mood to let Kent go on the cheap, however, and could demand around £6 million.
It certainly wouldn’t be a great look – Rangers paying £6 million to bring back a player they released in July – but one-time Ibrox midfielder Graham Dorrans believes they should not let pride get in the way of an opportunity.
What’s more, it should not be overlooked that his departure was a decision made under Mick Beale’s stewardship. Perhaps Philippe Clement views the former Liverpool youngster differently.
Only one league start for Fenerbahce
“He’s been there and done it,” Dorrans tells Go Radio. “In terms of what Kent can bring, you’ve seen it.
“Rangers are lacking players in the wide area. You’ve got Ross McCausland coming in as the only real winger at the minute with (Rabbi) Matondo being injured.
“It’s definitely an area that needs improved and needs numbers. If there’s an opportunity to get him back, I think they should.”
A lot may depend on whether Rangers can make any progress in their attempt to sign Abdallah Sima on a permanent basis. The Brighton loanee is the club’s top scorer, and is thriving in the left-wing role that Kent made his own.
