Former Elland Road goalkeeper Paul Robinson has been left excited over Leeds United’s reported interest in Rangers forward Ryan Kent.
The Lowdown: Kent rumours return
The Whites have once again been name-checked with an interest in Kent after he reportedly rejected a new ‘big-money’ deal at Ibrox.
The 25-year-old’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the season, with reports suggesting that Leeds, along with Aston Villa, remain in the hunt to sign the forward when he becomes a free agent.
Cross-border rules mean that Victor Orta could discuss a potential pre-contract agreement in the New Year, providing his situation remains the same, and Robinson doesn’t want the club to pay a fee for his services.
The Latest: Robinson reacts
Robinson, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to MOT Leeds News regarding the Whites and Kent.
The former Leeds goalkeeper believes Kent would be a ‘very good addition to the Leeds squad’ in a cut-price move and labelled the Englishman a ‘top player’.
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“Leeds have looked at Kent for a long time.
“He was a player who was wanted by the previous regime under Bielsa and he’s obviously someone they’ve tracked closely in the last two seasons.
“It’s obvious he’s now going to leave Rangers coming into the last six to eight months of his contract but I wouldn’t be in favour of paying money for him now when his contract expires next year.
“He’ll be a very good addition to the Leeds squad if you look at it now but he’s not a player who needs to come in during January.
“The club don’t need to spend any type of money for him and they should compete for his signature at the end of the season.
“I’m sure there will be other clubs looking at him but any price-tag Rangers will put on him will people off because he’s going into the last six months of his contract.
“It’ll have to be a really good deal for a team to take him in January but it’s quite clear his time at Rangers is coming to an end and there’ll be no shortage of takers for him.
“He’s a top player.”
The Verdict: Poor midweek display
Leeds chiefs were set to be in attendance to watch Kent in action against Liverpool on Tuesday, however, they may have left unimpressed.
Kent was Rangers’ worst-rated performer in the Champions League clash, as per SofaScore, ending with a 6.1/10 match rating. He lost ten of his 16 duels, gave the ball away 11 times and failed to make a key pass in his 81-minute display.
However, you can’t judge a player by one performance, and with Kent registering a personal best 11 league assists in each of the past two seasons, a free move could still prove to be a wise one.