Rangers' decision to sign Ryan Kent from Liverpool in 2018 has certainly paid off, as the winger's market value has gone through the roof during his time playing under Steven Gerrard at Ibrox.

The Oldham-born forward initially joined on loan from Gerrard's former side in 2018 and contributed six goals and nine assists during his first season at Ibrox.

This was enough to convince Gerrard, and sporting director at the time Mark Allen, that he was worth signing on a permanent deal the following summer.

That decision has certainly paid off on the pitch, as Kent has established himself as a key player under Gerrard and has been a driving force behind their impressive season thus far, which has already seen them claim the Premiership title.

In 33 league appearances, the 24-year-old winger has managed an impressive eight goals and seven assists, averaging a 7.40 rating for his performances - the joint-second best of any Rangers player this season.

However, it also looks to have been an excellent financial decision to bring him in, as his market value of £7.2m represents a career-high and a serious increase from just a couple of years ago.

The Light Blues also reportedly rejected a £10m bid from Leeds United last summer and it seems likely that after another impressive season, his asking price will only be increased further should Premier League sides show an interest in signing him.

When he first joined Rangers, he was valued at just £1.35m, which means that during his time at Ibrox, his value according to Transfermarkt has risen by a remarkable 533%.

Former Tottenham Hotspur 'keeper Paul Robinson was full of praise for Kent last season, saying:

“He’s the modern-day footballer as he can play in a lot of positions, he is very comfortable with the ball at his feet, and his pass accuracy is outstanding and as I’ve said before if Steven can keep hold of him, he’ll be a very good asset in the years to come.”

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Therefore, the decision by Gerrard and Allen to bring him in, after some less than impressive loan spells in the lower leagues of English football, certainly should be described as a masterclass, as his performances in recent seasons have been superb and should he leave, you would imagine that Rangers will make a serious profit on the £7.5m they reportedly paid for him.

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