Ibrox Sources: Rangers have agreed £12m+ deal in fee and wages
By Wayne Veysey
Rangers have agreed to hand Ryan Kent a lucrative contract as well as a £7.5million fee to Liverpool to sign him on deadline day, Football Insider understands.
The Glasgow giants announced the permanent capture of the forward, 22, late last night following a summer long-pursuit that took a decisive turn on yesterday morning.
Ibrox sources have told Football Insider that Rangers will pay Liverpool a guaranteed £6.5million for Kent plus £1million in performance-related add-ons.
The Light Blues have also rewarded the Anfield academy product with a pay rise that will see him catapulted into the top bracket of earners at the club.
Kent's four-year contract is worth more than £20,000-a-week, taking the potential total cost of the transfer beyond the £12million mark.
It is a massive outlay for Rangers and their biggest on a single player since Michael Ball signed from Everton for £6.5million in 2001.
Only the club-record £12million capture of Tore Andre Flo in November 2000 has exceeded the sum that Dave King and the Ibrox board have paid out to land Kent.
The blockbuster deal is a huge statement of intent from the club hierarchy after Sunday's harrowing 2-0 home defeat to Celtic.
Rangers were comfortably swept aside by their bitter rivals after a fine start to the season following Steven Gerrard's decision to start with the likes of forwards Alfredo Morelos and Sheyi Ojo on the bench.