Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has shared an update on Ryan Kent's current situation at Ibrox amid uncertainty over the winger's future at the club.
The Lowdown: Kent's contract situation at Rangers
The 26-year-old, who has been hailed for his "absolutely fantastic" performances in the past by Gers legend Jorg Albertz, is set to see his current contract at Ibrox expire at the end of the season.
Last month, it was reported that the Premiership giants had opened fresh contract talks with the Englishman after he initially rejected the opportunity to sign a new deal.
After seeing Kent take part in Rangers' recent 3-0 friendly win over Bayer Leverkusen, Beale shared some behind-the-scenes details about the attacker and his situation at Ibrox.
The Latest: Beale speaks out on Kent
Speaking after the win over Leverkusen (via Daily Record), the Rangers boss addressed Kent's future at the club, striking a positive claim about the 26-year-old.
Beale said: "We don’t want anyone here who doesn’t want to be here. Now, I think Ryan does want to be here. Everything is looking positive but there has just been a huge change at the club.
"He wants to be part of an exciting Rangers team that are moving in the right direction. So let’s see. The important thing is that Ryan looks like he is all in. He looks ready and committed so let’s deal with that initially."
The Verdict: Rangers must secure new deal for Kent
In 13 Premiership appearances this season, the 26-year-old has scored one goal, provided five assists and earned himself an overall performance rating of 7.32/10 from WhoScored, making him the third-highest rated player at Rangers.
In addition, Kent has the second-highest average of key passes per game (2.4) and the second-highest average of dribbles per game (2.2) at Rangers, which is evidence of his attacking skills and why he's such an important player for the team.
Taking all of that into account, it should be a top priority for the Ibrox club to tie Kent down to a new deal and remove any uncertainty around his future.