The Athletic claim on their deadline-day blog (Thursday, 4.01PM) that Rangers midfielder Stephen Kelly is set to join Livingston on a permanent basis today – after being ‘told’ he was free to take the next step in his career.
Kelly, 22, is back at Rangers after a third loan spell away from the club – moving down south to join Salford City. It comes after previous spells with Ross County and Ayr United. He has only managed three senior outings for Rangers.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst has informed the 10-time Scotland Under-21 international that he is free to leave. Now, he will be facing Rangers this season – as he joins Livingston on a permanent basis. A deal is likely to go through soon.
He will join a side that boast ex-Rangers midfielders Jason Holt and Andrew Shinnie. Livingston have made a solid-enough start to the 2022-23 campaign in the Scottish Premiership, picking up six points from their first five games.
Rangers midfielder Kelly set to join Livingston on a permanent basis
Unfortunately for Kelly, despite being an exciting talent to come through the Rangers academy, the competition has been too relentless. John Lundstram, Glen Kamara, Ryan Jack, Steven Davis and James Sands are the current options.
Even if Kamara does complete a £10million move to Nice, Kelly has no chance of breaking in. So, leaving Ibrox on more than just a loan has come at the right time in his career. At Livi, he has the stage to show what he is all about.
Whether he will start to begin with is another story. But he has the chance to break into a decent club, with a good boss at the helm. It will also give him the chance to show Rangers what could have been, had he been given a go.
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