STEVEN GERRARD insists Ryan Kent will only return to Rangers this summer if the winger really wants to clinch another Ibrox deal.

Kent enjoyed a terrific campaign on loan from Liverpool last term as he became an integral part of the Gers side and lifted the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year prize.

Boss Gerrard is keen to bring the 22-year-old back to Glasgow in the coming weeks as he builds his squad for another crack at the Premiership title next season.

But he could have to play a waiting game as Liverpool consider their options and decide whether to cash in on Kent or let him leave Anfield on another temporary deal.

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The Englishman will join up with Jurgen Klopp’s squad when the Champions League winners return to pre-season action this month.

Gerrard is currently putting his players through their paces at a training camp in Portugal. And he is doing all he can to get Kent back on board with the Light Blues.

Gerrard said: “I suppose the fans will be desperate for a Kent update.

“But it’s a complicated one because he is Liverpool’s player and Liverpool aren’t back yet.

“I’m sure Jurgen will want to see Ryan and where he’s at. We’ll go from there and we’ll respect Liverpool on that one. But I can assure everyone we are doing everything we can to try and get Ryan back.

“The key thing that people need to understand is that Ryan has got to want this. It’s alright the fans wanting him, the staff wanting him, myself wanting him.

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“But it’s Ryan’s decision. Ryan has got to want Rangers, he has got to want to come and be successful at Rangers. That is the question Ryan has got to ask himself.

“At the moment and where I stand, I have got to be careful about what I say about him because he’s not our player. We loved having him here and we’d love the chance to have him here again because we think he can continue to improve.

“But the reality is that we have to wait for Ryan to make a decision and, more importantly, Liverpool to think Rangers is the right place to continue his development.”