RENTON, WASH. – Sounders FC today announced that it has signed English winger Ryan Kent for the remainder of the 2025 season, with a club option for 2026. The 28-year-old joins the Rave Green after 10 professional seasons in Europe, tallying over 300 appearances across all competitions in England, Germany, Scotland and Turkey. A product of Liverpool’s youth system, Kent notably spent five seasons with Rangers FC of the Scottish Premier League, earning Scotland Young Player of the Year in 2018-2019, Scottish Premiership Team of the Year in 2018-2019 and 2020-2021, as well as UEFA Europa League Team of the Season in 2021-2022. The Oldham, England native comes to Seattle following two seasons with Turkish power Fenerbahçe.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Ryan Kent to Seattle and add him to our existing group this season,” said Sounders FC General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer Craig Waibel. “Ryan is a dynamic winger with top-level experience who brings pace, creativity and a dangerous attacking threat. His versatility and work ethic make him a great fit for our system, and we believe he can make an immediate impact and allow us to continue competing at the highest level.”
Kent joins the Rave Green after most recently playing for Turkish power Fenerbahçe from 2023-2024, making 19 appearances across all competitions, including 10 in UEFA Conference League and one in UEFA Champions League play. Prior to his time in Turkey, Kent played for Rangers from 2018-2022 (at first on loan from Liverpool before a permanent transfer in September 2019), scoring 34 goals in 216 appearances across all competitions over five seasons, twice earning Scottish Premiership Team of the Year (2018-2019 & 2020-2021). He was named 2018-2019 Scotland Young Player of the Year in his first season in Glasgow after scoring six goals in 27 league matches. A standout 2020-2021 campaign saw him start 36 of 37 league appearances with 10 goals as Rangers captured the Scottish Premiership title. On top of his accomplishments with Rangers in league play, Kent appeared in 11 UEFA Champions League matches and 43 UEFA Europa League fixtures, earning Europa League Team of the season honors in 2021-2022.
“Ryan is a very good player with an impressive pedigree, and we’re excited to bring him into our team,” said Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “He’s got real quality on the ball, is effective at taking players on and stretches opposing backlines, which should give us another dimension in the final third. We’re confident Ryan will integrate quickly and give us a big lift as we continue a long, grueling 2025 campaign.”
After joining Liverpool’s academy at the age of seven, Kent made his way up the youth system before going out on loan to Coventry City in 2015-2016. His breakout season came in 2016-2017 while on loan with Barnsley, winning the club’s Young Player of the Year award after appearing in 44 English Championship matches, scoring three goals. He later went on loan stints with SC Freiburg and Bristol City before heading to Rangers in 2018. On the international stage, Kent made eight appearances in the youth ranks for England, scoring two goals for the U-18s and one for the U-20s.
Following a 1-1 road draw on Saturday with San Jose, Sounders FC (1-2-3, 6 points) continues its three-match road stretch on Saturday, April 5 against expansion side San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, iHeartMedia Seattle, El Rey 1360 AM). Brian Schmetzer’s side then travels to FC Dallas on April 12 before returning home to face Nashville SC on April 19 on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field.
TRANSACTION: Sounders FC signs midfielder Ryan Kent for the remainder of the 2025 season with a club option for 2026 on March 31, 2025.
Full Name: Ryan Kent
Position: Midfielder
Number: 77
Height: 5-8
Weight: 145
Hometown: Oldham, England
Date of Birth: November 11, 1996 in Oldham, England
Nationality: England
Acquired: Signed on March 31, 2025
Previous Teams: Fenerbahçe SK (2023-2024), Rangers FC (2018-2023), Liverpool (2015-2019), Bristol City (Loan; 2018), SC Freiburg (Loan; 2017-2018), Barnsley FC (Loan; 2016-2017), Coventry City (Loan; 2015-2016)
