Rangers can seal "superb" deal with bid for £3.4k-p/w talent, it could be bye-bye Kent - opinion

Rangers have been linked with a move for a winger this summer who could end up being the Light Blues’ replacement for Ryan Kent at Ibrox.

It has been suggested that Tom Lawrence was brought in to replace Joe Aribo, while Oladapo Afolayan could be the man to fill Kent’s shoes in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed two impressive seasons with Bolton Wanderers, first helping them to promotion from League Two before finishing as their top scorer in League One last term. In total, the £3.4k-p/w winger has made 72 appearances for Ian Evatt’s side, contributing 15 goals and nine assists.

Last season saw Afolayan make 44 appearances for the Trotters in England’s third tier, in which he managed 12 goals and four assists as he averaged a superb 7.11 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

As a right-footed left winger who loves to dribble and cut inside, excelling at long shots, he would arguably be a natural replacement for Kent, who is unsurprisingly attracting interest after another excellent season at Ibrox.

The former Liverpool man contributed three goals and 20 assists in all competitions last term, playing a key role in Rangers’ run to the Europa League final with some sensational performances, perhaps most notably in the memorable win against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.

Recent reports have suggested that Galatasaray are in talks with the Englishman over a potential transfer, while Leeds United have also been linked with him regularly over the last few months.

Kent’s contract at Ibrox is set to expire at the end of next season, so as much as it might sadden Rangers fans, it might be the best decision to sell him this summer rather than potentially losing him for free in a year’s