Glasgow Rangers have endured a difficult start to the 2024/25 campaign and are not where they would want to be in the Scottish Premiership table.
The Light Blues are currently third in the division and are already six points behind the top two teams in the division after just nine matches, having drawn one and lost two already.
Aberdeen and Celtic have both won eight and drawn one of their nine games in the Premiership and this shows that they have set an incredibly high standard, that Philippe Clement’s side have been unable to match.
The Ibrox giants have, however, enjoyed a strong start to the Europa League with two wins from three matches in the new-look League Phase of the competition, beating Malmo and FCSB.
If Rangers struggle to make up the distance between themselves and Aberdeen and Celtic at the top of the Premiership before the January transfer window, Clement and Nils Koppen could be tempted to dip into the market to bolster the team.
Adding more quality to the playing group ahead of the second half of the season could help them to kick on and push for trophies, domestically and in Europe.
There is one player linked with a move to Rangers, and Clement could repeat the club’s success with the deal to bring Leon Balogun back to Ibrox by signing them.
Rangers' success with Leon Balogun
The Nigeria international was released by the Light Blues at the end of the 2021/22 campaign by Dutch manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who deemed him to be surplus to requirements at the time.
That came after he had featured 19 times in the Premiership during the title-winning season in the 2020/21 term and played ten matches in the Europa League in the club’s run to the final under van Bronckhorst in 2021/22.
Balogun then spent the 2022/23 campaign with QPR in the English Championship and scored one goal in 16 appearances in the second tier during his time down south.
Michael Beale, who replaced van Bronckhorst, then brought the veteran back to Ibrox in the summer of 2023, having been the assistant to Steven Gerrard when the defender played a part in the Premiership title success.
Balogun went on to make 19 appearances in all competitions under Beale and Clement last term, and played 90 minutes in the League Cup final to help the Gers win 1-0 against Aberdeen.
Appearances
6
Starts
2
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.8
Ground duel success rate
76%
Aerial duel success rate
67%
As you can see in the table above, the 36-year-old is still proving his worth in Glasgow this season in the Premiership – dominating his physical duels in the division.
Rangers have benefitted from bringing the experienced star, who already knew how to perform for the club, back to Ibrox on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, and they could repeat that success with a swoop for Ryan Kent.
Ryan Kent's current situation
Earlier this month, Turkish giants Fenerbahce opted to mutually terminate the English forward’s contract and that means that he is currently a free agent.
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However, as his contract was ripped up outside of the main transfer windows across Europe, the former Liverpool youngster would not be able to play competitive games – if he signs for a team in one of the major leagues in Europe – until January, when the registration window opens again.
He would be able to train with Rangers until then, though, and that would give him time to adjust to new teammates and Clement’s tactics, whilst already knowing several players – including Balogun and James Tavernier – from his previous spell at Ibrox.
The Scottish Sun recently claimed that the Gers have been linked with a move for the free agent attacker, to bring him back for a second spell in Glasgow, but added that they are not alone in their interest in him.
It was reported that League One side Leyton Orient and Championship outfit Leeds United are also keen on the 27-year-old wizard, as they look to bolster their respective squads.
Clement must now see off competition from the two English clubs in order to secure a bargain, free, transfer for the winger, who could be Balogun 2.0 for the Light Blues.
Why Ryan Kent could be Leon Balogun 2.0
The English forward has already proven his quality in Glasgow, as Balogun did during his first time around at the club, and this means that Rangers would be bringing in a player who has the ability to hit the ground running.
Kent would not need much time to settle in and adapt to life in the Premiership, as he already knows several of the current squad, knows the city, the country, and the league, which could make him an ideal January addition.
He only managed one goal in 19 appearances for Fenerbahce during a difficult time in Turkey but that came after a fantastic spell with Rangers in Scotland.
The 27-year-old sensation, who was once described as “unplayable” for the Gers by reporter Andrew Dickson, scored 33 goals and provided 56 assists in 218 matches for the club.
His performances for the Scottish giants during the 2020/21 title-winning campaign, which Balogun also featured in, were particularly impressive.
Appearances
37
Sofascore rating
7.23
Goals
10
Big chances created
9
Assists
9
Key passes per game
1.8
As you can see in the table above, Kent fired in ten goals and registered nine assists in 37 games as the Gers went unbeaten under Steven Gerrard to win the Premiership.
These statistics, and his statistics across his entire career in Glasgow, show that he knows how to provide goals and assists on a regular basis in a Rangers shirt.
At the age of 27, Kent still has plenty of years left to give in his career and could still offer plenty to the Light Blues under Clement if they decide to bring him back for a second spell, which is why he could end up being Balogun 2.0 in the second half of the season and beyond.
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