JAMES TAVERNIER would love to look at Ryan Kent showcase his skills within the English Premier League.
However he’s in no hurry to see him accomplish that simply but.
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The Rangers captain believes his in-form Ibrox team-mate is destined for a mega-money transfer again down south.
Leeds tried to make it occur in the summertime — however their supply was rejected as Gers made it clear the Liverpool academy product wasn’t on the market.
Boss Steven Gerrard has been reaping the rewards ever since.
Kent has performed a pivotal position in Gers’ outstanding begin to the season, one which has seen them smash a staggering 58 targets in all competitions.
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The winger, who has already been touted for an England call-up by Ibrox No 2 Gary McAllister, delivered one other stand-out exhibiting in Sunday’s 4-0 drubbing of Aberdeen as Rangers moved 11 factors away from Celtic on the high.
And forward of the Europa League return with Benfica, skipper Tav revealed he’s in little doubt there’s extra to return.
He mentioned: “Ryan has all of the qualities to turn out to be a very high participant. He’s getting there, you possibly can see that.
“He’s scoring targets and including numbers to his recreation. Hopefully that may proceed.
“He’s exhibiting unbelievable consistency. There’s nothing higher I’d prefer to see than Ryan within the Premier League and hopefully that day will come — after this season.
“He’s received the whole lot as a winger. He can shoot along with his left or proper foot and he can take it on each side, he’s so snug with each toes.
“As a defender, it’s so arduous to defend towards as a result of he can come down both aspect.”
Gerrard, who satisfied Kent to affix Rangers in a deal price £7million in September 2019, additionally reckons the large man is destined for the highest.
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He mentioned: “Ryan has all of the instruments, the flexibility and expertise to go on enhancing and get to a unique stage, definitely.
“Individuals decide Ryan on targets and assists and, after all, we do to a sure diploma, however we additionally decide him on his utility every day.
“He’s in magnificent form. He trains extraordinarily arduous within the health club and on the coaching pitch.
“He’s skilled, selfless for the staff. Individuals typically marvel why we have now a lot religion and why he performs plenty of video games.
“It’s as a result of, out and in of possession, he completely will get what we’re attempting to do when it comes to our philosophy.
“He does plenty of work that individuals in all probability don’t discover when it comes to blocking traces and being in the suitable place in regaining the ball.
“He’s aggressive as a winger, which is uncommon. I’m an enormous fan of Ryan Kent.
“He can go once more, for certain, and it’s crucial that we maintain him at this soccer membership if we keep true to what all of us need, which is success.”
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That’s one thing Rangers have been starved of for a very long time.
But there’s rising confidence among the many supporters all that’s about to vary.
Now in his fifth 12 months in Glasgow, nobody craves an finish to the membership’s look forward to silverware greater than Tavernier himself.
In hindsight, Rangers have been by no means going to be a fast repair.
Tav has encountered some darkish locations on the highway to redemption — and he is aware of the journey isn’t over but.
He mentioned: “From a private viewpoint, I’ve at all times given 100 per cent and tried to battle all the way in which.
“It wasn’t meant to be within the years beforehand.
“However what the membership have carried out to herald the gaffer and the administration staff, and the gamers they’ve spent the cash on, is barely making this membership go in the suitable route.
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“It’s nice to see how far we have now come within the time I’ve been right here.
“However everyone knows it’s nonetheless a piece in progress.
“We will nonetheless be higher in areas everywhere in the membership and we have now to ensure we as gamers try this on the soccer pitch.
“It’s positively been a studying course of. In my years of taking part in for Rangers, we have now gone by means of plenty of gamers and a few managers.
“It’s been a rollercoaster of a journey however it has given me nice expertise.
“What the membership have carried out in bringing the gaffer and the administration staff in and the recruitment they’ve carried out, particularly this season and final season, has made the squad higher than ever.
“That is the perfect squad I’ve performed with since I’ve been right here. I’m actually proud of the place we’re at, however we all know there’s nonetheless plenty of work to be carried out.”
The right gauge of simply how far Rangers have come may very well be measured at Ibrox.
A victory for Gers over Benfica, coupled with a win for Commonplace Liege towards Lech Poznan, would safe Rangers’ place within the knockout levels of the Europa League with two video games to spare.
Tav added: “It might say an enormous quantity from the place we have now come from.
“We’ve had an important begin to this group.
“We got here off that pitch in Benfica disillusioned that we have been solely coming residence with a degree after we knew we must always have gained the sport.
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“We all know this shall be a tricky recreation. We now have to focus on that and attempt to get the consequence we would like.
“Everyone seems to be trying ahead to it as a result of it’s at residence.”
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