According to The Athletic, Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa believed he could convert Rangers forward Ryan Kent into a No. 10 as the Elland Road outfit went after the signature of the 22-year-old during the summer transfer window.
The England youth international spent last season on loan with Steven Gerrard’s side at Ibrox, emerging as the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year after ending the campaign with six goals and nine assists in 43 games.
As a result, Rangers splashed £7 million on his permanent signature to bring him back on the European summer transfer deadline day, but Leeds were also firmly interested in his services, and the English Championship side had a £4.5 million offer turned down the day before the English transfer window shut.
Russia side Krasnodar also saw a £5 million bid fail, while Liverpool also received a number of enquiries from across Europe, including interests from France and Belgium, but Kent was only interested in returning to Rangers.
Leeds finally brought in Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah on loan on transfer deadline day after it became clear the Reds weren’t going to let go of their academy graduate for that little.
It’s safe to say Bielsa won’t regret missing out on the Rangers star, but he definitely would have loved to have such a winger he believes can play centrally behind a striker in his ranks.
The onus is now on the Scottish Premiership giants to turn Kent into a world-beater after the promises he showed last season.
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