HIGHLY-rated midfelder Ryan Kent has revealed he turned down interest from a host of Championship clubs before signing for the Sky Blues on loan from Liverpool until January 16.
The 18-year-old has been a target for manager for a number of weeks but he finally got his man on Thursday after the teenager signed on a three-month youth loan deal.
Oldham-born Kent, who was recently away on international duty with England’s Under-20 squad, can play in a similar role to the injured James Maddison and is expected to play in his position behind Adam Armstrong.
Although Kent joined the Liverpool senior squad on their pre-season tour of Bangkok, Brisbane, Adelaide and Malaysia, he has yet to make his competitive first team appearance.
But the teenager is eager to get some minutes under his belt while on loan at the Ricoh Arena and is confident he can adapt to life in League One.
He said: “There was interest from a number clubs, some in the Championship, but Coventry stood out for me, they have real pedigree and a lot of good players.
“I’ve seen the young players here are doing really well and it’s an exciting team to be a part of. I’ve kept note on the young players here, Jacob Murphy, Bryn Morris, Ruben and Adam is on fire. It’s a good thing.
“I had a chat with Tony Mowbray, he made me feel very welcome and talked to me about the system.
“There’s a few people in the staff at Liverpool which have told me good things too, and I spoke to Bryn (Morris) while on international duty about it.
“A lot of people edged me towards this club, they know the manager plays a great style of football.
“I’m a dynamic player, can play anywhere along the front three and hope to bring flair, goals and assists.
“I went away with Liverpool in pre-season and that was a great experience, it was great to see what life as a first-team player is like, the commitment on and off the pitch and I’m hoping I can bring that experience to help me in the long run here.
“It will maybe a bit more physical than I am used to but that’s what I need for my game to improve, I’m relishing it.”
Mowbray admits he has been tracking Kent for some time and is confident he can make a big impact during his three months at the club.
He added: “We’re really excited about his potential. With the injury to James Maddison, I felt it was important to bring in a player of a similar ilk and someone who possesses that technical ability in forward areas.
“He can handle the ball, play off both feet, play anywhere behind the main striker and has plenty of pedigree having featured for the England Under-20s last week.
“There is a lot of competition in the squad at the moment but we hope he can come here and enjoy the environment we’ve created, and flourish.”
Kent is expected to make his Sky Blues debut when Mowbray’s side visit Scunthorpe tomorrow (Saturday).
