Ever since Marcelo Bielsa took over at Leeds in the summer of 2018, their recruitment has been pretty much on the money.
His first addition was Patrick Bamford from Chelsea, who has been an inspiration in their maiden season back in the Premier League. Raphinha, Diego Llorente and Robin Koch have helped establish them in the top flight, while Rodrigo – who originally looked like a big mistake – also took some serious form towards the end of last season.
Of the ten permanent signings that Bielsa made before the summer, it is actually only Helder Costa who has not expected. It is not a bad strike rate at all, and it bodes well for the one next door.
According to various reports, their next arrival could be the long-term goal of Ryan Kent. The winger, who Leeds has been tracking since he was at Liverpool’s books in 2019, was a revelation in Rangers’ title win last season, and The Athletic is the latest outlet to claim the Elland Road side are still interested.
Kent has been a key part of Rangers’ transformation from Scottish football’s laughing stock to the undisputed Premier League champions. His loan move to Ibrox 2018/19 was a resounding success, and while his first year as a permanent player was transitional, he delivered some of the best forms of his career last season on the way to putting ‘Ten in a Row’ in its tracks.
With the form he shows in Scotland, it is no surprise to hear about the interest from the English Premier League. More and more we see players raised in SPFL stand out in England’s best flight, with Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, John McGinn and Kieran Tierney, just a handful of those who have seamlessly made the leap.
Kent stands out to the same extent as the formidable role, but it will not be easy to attract him from the Scottish champions this summer. Steven Gerrard recently said that anyone who wants one of his key players must ‘bring an army’ to Ibrox, so make it what you want.
But even the most ambitious Rangers fans know he will not play in Scotland for the rest of his career. And their determination may well be tested in the coming weeks.
⚽️ TODAY’S GOAL: @ryankent against Aberdeen pic.twitter.com/ZrvXAhOU8f
– Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) June 13, 2021
The rumors from Leeds are perfectly meaningful, and not just because they are the level of club you expect to be interested in; ambitious, forward-looking and with European football in sight
Under Steven Gerrard, he has blossomed into the type of player that Bielsa loves to handle. He has learned the hard way that raw talent gets you nowhere if you do not cover the farm and work for it.
His work rate was criticized in Liverpool and early in his Rangers career, but Kent averaged 15.71 defensive pressure per game last season. It ranks up there with Leeds wingers who are known for their hard work. just before Raphinha (15.17) and shorter than Harrison (19.95).
Raphinha and Harrison are central to Leeds / Stu Forster / Getty Images
With 13 goals and 15 assists last season, it is clear that Kent would take a serious creative presence to Elland Road. And while Leeds does not lack creativity in the broad positions, Kent brings something else to the table.
He could be compared to Raphinha in terms of dribbling, pace and direct running, but Kent’s real strength lies in how difficult it is to get the ball from him. When Alfredo Morelos is absent, Kent Rangers’ outlet is; they know that when they give him the ball he will hold on to it like an NFL running back and getting it up in the park.
And when he stands up, the park usually gets something to happen, as his 55 goal-stakes in three seasons at Rangers will attest.
⚽️ April #GOTM – WINNER ?? @ryankent against Hibernian
Light Blues striker’s belts at Ibrox took 27% of the vote!
Congratulations Ryan! ? #SPFL | @RangersFC pic.twitter.com/tdQ3mvm0cg
– SPFL (@spfl) 24 May 2021
It’s proof of Kent’s development that Leeds’ recruiting team, which has so rarely done wrong in recent seasons, refuses to let go. He had to wait patiently for his chance to revive his career, but when it came to Scotland he has taken it with both hands, and it will probably not be long before we see him back in the Premier League.
Leeds may just be the club best suited to offer him a route back, but when the Rangers do everything they can to hold on to their attacking talisman at the moment, it depends on how much they want him.
