STEVEN GERRARD took the questions from the Press, his players and the punters but couldn’t provide the answer he really wanted to give.

In the final hours of the transfer window, he finally had the ‘yes’ he had waited so long for this summer.

The deal that brought Ryan Kent back to Rangers from Liverpool was a long time in the making but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying from the Light Blues’ perspective.

READ MORE: Ryan Kent pictured in full training with Rangers teammates for first time since signing from Liverpool

And Gerrard is delighted to once again have his man after the winger penned a four-year deal and a £7million move was completed.

He said: “All the way through since we came back on June 15 the players have been saying ‘Is Ryan coming back?’, ‘We want Ryan back’, ‘Any news, any progress?’.

“Nobody wanted Ryan back more than the dressing room which was the reason, along with my confidence in him and knowing Ryan really well, we never left Liverpool alone.

“We did everything we could and qualifying for Europe certainly helped the club fund the deal but the board have shown again they are very ambitious and want to try and get back to the top.

“The Celtic defeat had nothing to do with it. We’d been trying to get Ryan Kent through the door from the moment he walked out the door.

“It wasn’t a reaction to losing [to Celtic]. We had a board meeting the day before the Old Firm game and then on the day before the game.

“Thankfully we got it done just in time but there were times through the transfer window when I didn’t think we’d get him in.”

The move for Kent became the saga of the summer for Rangers. As other deals were done, it was Kent’s name that was on the lips of supporters.

READ MORE: Ryan Kent reveals his airport U-turn and delight at Rangers deal after clinching Ibrox return

Now the 22-year-old will hear them cheer him on once again as he looks to hit the ground running and pick up where he left off at the end of his loan spell last term.

Gerrard said: “Every Rangers fan I came into contact with throughout the transfer window mentioned Ryan Kent to me.

“I’m actually sick of hearing his name! I just want him to go and play well now, get me some wins and goals.

“From Ryan’s point of view, he has been loaned out to different places for experience. In his mind, enough was enough. He’d had enough of loans.

“He wanted to find a permanent home and settle down, really try and enjoy the peak years of his career.

“At his age, he’s got to be looking at the next four to six years to be the peak years of his consistency and form. Thankfully Rangers are going to get those best years.”

The arrival of Kent was a major boost to Rangers and a timely shot in the arm for supporters after the Old Firm defeat to Celtic the previous day.

It was against their title rivals that Kent produced some of his best performances for Gerrard’s side last season as he won the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year prize.

READ MORE: Rangers boss Steven Gerrard critical of 'careless' Scotland over Ryan Jack knee injury

Now he has a chance to take his game to another level as the Gers bid for European progression and domestic success this term.

Gerrard said: “Last season was his breakthrough year. He’d had positive and negative loans at other clubs previously after bursting onto the scene. He found it hard to break into the Liverpool squad.

“In terms of stats, you see his assists and goals and that’s the evidence he is ready to go.

“But there is much more to Ryan Kent than numbers. He is a player who really concerns opposition defenders and coaches. We experienced certain teams setting up in a way that showed they were really concerned about Ryan.

“The relationship between Ryan and our fans means it’s really there for him now and I’m really looking forward to seeing how he goes.

“What I would say is that he’s not 100 percent right now. He will be in the coming weeks. He’s still a good player, he’ll still excite everyone but a bit of patience is needed for a few weeks until he really gets up to speed. Then I don’t know what’s going to stop him.”