Rangers fans have waited five long years for this moment.
The last time the Light Blues lifted the Scottish Premiership trophy was back in the unforgettable 2020/21 season under Steven Gerrard
That campaign delivered an unbeaten title charge, powered by stars like Alfredo Morelos, Ianis Hagi, and especially the electric Ryan Kent on the wing.
Now, under new head coach Danny Rohl, Ibrox is buzzing with fresh belief. Rangers sit just three points behind league leaders Hearts with seven crucial matches remaining after the international break. Momentum is building, and whispers of a major transfer move are adding serious fuel to the fire.
According to reports, Ibrox officials are accelerating plans to sign a young Liverpool talent who many are already calling the “new Ryan Kent.” The target is 22-year-old versatile attacker Luca Stephenson, currently impressing on loan at Dundee United. Rangers have been monitoring him closely and are pushing hard for a summer deal that could bring him straight to Glasgow.
This isn’t just another rumour. It’s a calculated move that echoes the club’s successful gamble on Kent himself. Back in 2018, Kent arrived at Ibrox on a loan from Liverpool after failing to break into the first team at Anfield. He made just one senior appearance for the Reds before heading north.
What happened next was pure magic. Rangers made the deal permanent for around £7 million in 2019, and Kent repaid that faith in spectacular fashion. He became a key figure in Gerrard’s title-winning side, contributing 10 goals and 9 assists in 37 Premiership appearances during that golden 2020/21 season.
By the time he left Ibrox in 2023, Kent had racked up 38 goals and 56 assists in 218 games across all competitions. He turned from a Premier League cast-off into an Ibrox hero and a vital part of the only Rangers team to win the league in the last decade.
The parallels with Stephenson are striking. Like Kent, the young Englishman has struggled for regular first-team minutes at Liverpool despite showing real promise in academy ranks and on loan.
His performances at Dundee United this season have caught the eye of Rangers scouts, who see a dynamic, versatile winger/attacking midfielder capable of delivering goals, assists, and that much-needed flair on the flanks.
Danny Rohl knows exactly what kind of player can make the difference in a tight title race. Since taking charge, the German coach has transformed Rangers’ fortunes.
The team has picked up more points than any other side in the Premiership during his tenure, turning around a difficult start under the previous regime. Rohl has spoken openly about treating the remaining fixtures like “seven finals” and insists his side will be “tough to stop” if performances start converting into consistent wins.
A narrow 1-0 victory over St Mirren and a thumping 4-1 win against Aberdeen showed glimpses of what this Rangers team can do. They are breathing down Hearts’ necks, and with games in hand, the title is very much within reach.
But Rohl needs more attacking options to keep the pressure on across a demanding run-in and into the split.
That’s where signing someone like Stephenson could prove a masterstroke.
Bringing in a hungry, young talent who has already shown he can perform in Scottish football makes perfect sense. It mirrors the smart recruitment that worked so well with Kent – finding players who failed to make the grade at a top-six Premier League club but have the quality and desire to shine at Ibrox.
Rangers have not always explored this market as aggressively as they could. The success with Kent offers a clear lesson. Young players overlooked by the Premier League elite often find their best football in Scotland, especially at a club with the stature and fanbase of Rangers.
Stephenson would arrive with something to prove, exactly the mentality needed in a high-pressure title chase.
Imagine the impact.
A fresh winger bursting down the left or cutting inside, linking up with the strikers, and delivering the kind of decisive moments that Kent produced in 2020/21. With seven games left and the gap to Hearts sitting at just three points, one or two quality additions could tilt the balance decisively.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed.
Stephenson reportedly wants the chance to impress new Liverpool manager Arne Slot in pre-season, and the Reds may decide to keep him or send him elsewhere. But Rangers are said to be moving quickly, determined not to miss out on a player who fits their profile perfectly.
For the Ibrox faithful, this news comes at the perfect time. The title drought has lasted too long. Memories of that unbeaten Gerrard side – with Kent terrorising full-backs and creating havoc – still bring a smile. Now, under Rohl, the club is building something special again.
If the deal for the “new Ryan Kent” goes through, it could be the spark that lights up the final stretch of the season. Danny Rohl preparing to smash the five-year title wait while officials chase a signing that could repeat one of the club’s smartest ever pieces of business.
The summer transfer window hasn’t even opened yet, but the excitement is already building at Ibrox. Rangers are in the hunt on two fronts – the pitch and the market.
Hearts may be top of the table for now, but the Light Blues smell blood.
This could be the summer that changes everything. The next Ryan Kent might just be the missing piece that finally brings the Premiership crown back to Govan.
