While Steven Gerrard will surely be gutted to see Ryan Kent return to Liverpool, perhaps a man linked with a move to Ibrox can fill such a void.
The Liverpool loanee was probably the club’s shining light last season, scoring 6 and assisting 9 goals in all competitions (stats via Transfermarkt) after his move to Glasgow and, while he’ll be a miss, some good news has recently emerged. Indeed, according to the Daily Mail via the Scottish Sun, the Gers are apparently closing in on signing Charlton Athletic’s Joe Aribo.
Despite operating from a fairly deep position, the 22-year-old bagged 9 league goals and recorded a further five assists, so could at least help in replacing some of the strikes the club would lose in Kent. Alongside the likes of Alfredo Morelos, Jermain Defoe, Scott Arfield and James Tavernier, the Light Blues would boast a prolific attacking presence, building on a campaign in which they comfortably outscored Celtic in the league anyway.
Yes, you need more than goals to win a league title but there have been some big scorelines have been an early trademark of Gerrard’s time in Scotland (beating Motherwell 7-1, St Johnstone 5-1 and Dundee 4-0) so it’s not hard to imagine Gers fans being in for some more attacking football.
Moreover, the fact that he was called a “young Patrick Viera” former manager Karl Robinson(via Football London) and the Mirror linking him to Arsenal in March indicates there’s obviously quality there.
Averaging one goal in every four games (thanks to Transfermarkt) from midfield, along with the versatility to operate almost anywhere behind the striker potentially would give Rangers options. Considering that Lee Bowyer praised the 22-year-old’s overall game for breaking up play, winning back possession and driving forward after the win over Portsmouth back in March, the Rangers gaffer could be in for a real treat.
Former Rangers striker Marcus Gayle (via Daily Record) recently tipped Aribo to flourish in Scotland, and considering his stats, Gerrard ensure this one gets over the line.
Rangers fans, do you think Aribo can potentially replicate Kent’s heroics at the Ibrox next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…
