Steven Gerrard is reportedly leading the race for Ryan Kent as he looks to bring the free agent to Al-Ettifaq.
And the Rangers reunion can’t come soon enough for the embattled boss as the Liverpool legend faces questions over his future. The winger had his Fenerbahce contract ripped up just 16 months after leaving Rangers after threatening to take the Turkish giants to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after his poor treatment in Istanbul.
Following the exit, speculation immediately ramped up over a return to the Scottish Premiership with Rangers boss Philippe Clement confessing he had attempted to sign the Englishman while in charge of Club Brugge. But it appears that Gerrard and former Ibrox director of football Mark Allen have stolen a march on their rivals for a deal as they look to take him to the Saudi Pro League.
Saudi outletYallakora claim that Ettifaq have already “made contract” with Kent’s representatives as they push to bring the 27-year-old to the Middle East. FIFA rules state that clubs can sign players who without a club outside of the windows, but must wait until the next registration period to play – and if Ettifaq did snap up Kent he would have to wait until January to play.
And after a disappointing start to the season, speculation is ramping up the Scottish Premiership title-winning boss may not get until January to impress. Ettifaq dropped to ninth spot in the table after back-to-back defeats – the latest coming against rock bottom Al-Fateh.
Gerrard stuck to his guns after the game insisting the club was developing a project – but has been called out by former president of the Saudi Football Federation Hatem Khaimi. He told Koura: “If any big club’s management agrees with the coach on the words ‘we have a project’, then you know that the team is going to hell.
“Do not believe anyone who talks about the existence of a project with the first teams, especially in the top clubs. The project is for younger age groups and national teams.
“For clubs, to say project about the first team is just to lull the fans into sleep, so that the coach stays for the longest possible period. If the results are bad, he says that he has a project for the future. But if you have 10 good foreign players and good management, you will compete with other clubs.”