Leeds United are set to lose their star striker and last year’s top goalscorer Kemar Roofe, who will join Anderlecht, after passing a medical with the Belgian side.
The Whites, though, have already lined up a replacement (as per the Athletic’s Phil Hay) in Liverpool’s Ryan Kent, who spent last year on loan at Steven Gerrard’s Rangers side. Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah is also an option.
Roofe is set to leave the club for a fee of £7 million after a fantastic 2018-19 season, where he scored 15 goals in all competitions.
Leeds are keen on reinvesting that money to sign Kent. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp recently revealed that the Reds are not interested in loaning out Kent once again and hinted at a permanent deal for the 22-year-old attacker.
Kent scored 6 times and assisted 9 goals last season for Rangers, playing 43 times under manager Steven Gerrard.
The young English attacker hasn’t made a senior appearance in the Premier League for Liverpool, but has been loaned out to clubs in England, Germany and Scotland over the last four seasons.
Kent has three years to run on his current Liverpool contract, having signed a new deal with the club in 2017.
Leeds United should now break the bank for Ryan Kent
Kent had an impressive pre-season with Liverpool, but his future does not lie at Anfield as Klopp has several options in Kent’s position, while the German manager also revealed recently that it was time for Kent to get a permanent solution and that he needs game time.
The 22-year-old primarily plays as a left winger, but can play on the right, as well as a second striker in the team.
Kent is a good dribbler of the ball and has pace to get past defenders, while he also possesses good technique as well. A good crosser of the ball, Kent is a very good player in wide areas and can cause trouble to a lot of full-backs.
Roofe was a terrific goalscorer, and the rumoured decision of Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa to sign a winger to replace a striker may be a bit surprising, but Kent fits in perfectly in Bielsa’s system, while also showing great potential.
Leeds play with a single striker and their formation relies on wide players cutting into central areas, which Kent can do very well, while his good work-rate will also be a bonus.
At 22 years of age, and with over 120 games since his senior debut, Kent can grow further and become an even better player under the Argentine manager.
The signing of Kent will add a lot of quality to the Leeds side while also strengthen the squad, which perhaps lacked a wide player.