Kyle Lafferty has been backed to kick start his career away from Rangers as he prepared to thrash out the terms of his Ibrox exit.
Lafferty has been told he’s surplus to requirements by manager Steven Gerrard after netting just four league goals in 20 games on his return to the club from Hearts last season.
The 31-year-old is on holiday with his family in Canada but is due to fly back to Scotland before reporting for Northern Ireland duty next week.
And before meeting up with Michael O’Neill’s squad ahead of their Euro 2020 qualifiers against Estonia and Belarus he will hold talks with his advisers and Gers chiefs.
O’Neill insists that Lafferty will find top form again and is adamant he remains a key figure for Northern Ireland and that he had sympathy with the forward in relation to how things worked out for him on his return to his boyhood club.
“Kyle’s had a difficult situation at Rangers and I feel a bit for him because it was a big move to go back and it hasn’t really worked out for either party,” said O’Neill.
“The speculation is he will be moving on, there is always interest in him, sometimes from around globe and we’ll see what happens.
“Kyle will go somewhere and reignite himself and start scoring again. History tells us that’s what he does.
“You want him to play at as high a level as possible. That’s important. Kyle has been on his travels before and he just needs to go into an environment where he plays and scores.
“When he went to Hearts he had a good year and unfortunately that hasn’t transmitted itself through to Rangers but he looks fit and in good shape. Wherever he goes I think he’ll be keen to prove himself.
“He is still an important player for Northern Ireland and our most experienced striker with the best goalscoring record.”
Cypriot outfit Apollon Limassol have been credited with an interest in the striker - along with Hearts midfielder Arnaud Djoum - but Lafferty’s representatives have yet to be sounded out about the terms on offer.
Another move abroad, however, does appeal to him following stints with Swiss side Sion, Palermo in Italy and Caykur Rizespor in Turkey.
