Everton manager Sean Dyche could commence the summer rebuild at Goodison Park by swooping for winger Ryan Kent, who is departing from Rangers at the end of his contract this summer.
What's the latest on Ryan Kent to Everton?
That's according to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb, who state that the former Liverpool prospect could join the Toffees fold after his outfit confirmed his forthcoming departure.
Kent is expected to be subject to an official offer from Blues owner Farhad Moshiri imminently, with Everton looking to strengthen their offensive mettle after narrowly staving off relegation from the Premier League this season.
However, Sabah have recently reported that the 26-year-old is of a vested interest to Turkish outfit Fenerbahce, who are looking to close a deal for the soon-to-be free agent, and Everton must act quickly if they are to beat the Yellow Canaries to his signature.
Should Everton sign Ryan Kent?
Kent has been an electric and dependable winger for the Gers over the past five seasons after joining from Liverpool for £7.5m in 2019, having spent the previous campaign at Ibrox on loan.
He has made 218 appearances for the Scottish giants, plundering 33 goals and 57 assists, playing central roles in triumphs in the 20/21 Scottish Premiership and the 21/22 Scottish Cup.
A dynamic winger, effective across both offensive flanks, Kent's tenacity and unrelenting energy aid his team via his dominance of his zone, while his crisp passing offers a unique slant to his game, devastating with the accuracy of his key passes in offensive manoeuvres, ranking among the top 10% of positional peers across Men's 'Next 8' divisions – the leagues preceding the European 'big five' – for pass completion, as well as the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
His "dangerous" – as he was hailed by former boss Steven Gerrard – creativity is one of the trademark facets of his skill set, evidenced by his ten assists this season, and as such he could play a role similar to that of former Toffees phenom Gerard Deulofeu, who was highly effective when plying his trade on Merseyside.
The wily Spaniard was once lauded as "outstanding" by his former Everton manager Roberto Martinez for his "pace" and "penetration", and indeed flourished during his time with the Blues, scoring eight goals and supplying 19 assists from 75 outings during a time of greater stability at Goodison Park.
At present, the 29-year-old ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for rate of assists, the top 1% for progressive passes and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90 – not a bad peer for Kent to emulate.
Everton need renewed firepower after narrowly avoiding the unthinkable prospect of relegation, and while emphasis will be on a central talisman, signing wide man Kent in a shrewd deal could be the perfect way to bolster the ranks and navigate away from the depths of the division next season.