Here are your Leeds United evening headlines for Sunday, August 23.
Leeds to raise Ryan Kent bid
After reaching the Premier League for the first time in 16 years, Leeds are keen to add a centre-forward to the squad, and Rangers’ Ryan Kent is at the top of the list, with the Whites keenly interested in acquiring the former Liverpool man.
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has remained firm over his players this summer, but also has realised that some will leave if the right offer is received. Kent, who scored 10 goals in 26 league appearances last year, cost £6.5million last summer. Now Rangers are looking to make a substantial profit.
Per the Scottish Sun, Leeds are willing to up their £10m offer by 40%, which would lead to a £14m bid. They are also reportedly willing to double the 23-year-old’s wages.
Kent would compete with Patrick Bamford for the starting striker role. Bamford endured a turbulent Championship season, especially earlier in the year when the more prolific Eddie Nketiah pushed for a starting role. Marcelo Bielsa showed faith in Bamford, however, and the striker eventually repaid that with a strong second half of the year.
Klopp's Kent verdict
As Leeds look to add high-level attacking reinforcements to the squad ahead of their looming Premier League campaign, Rangers’ striker Ryan Kent is a key target.
Kent, though, only moved to Rangers last summer, developing at Liverpool before then. And Jurgen Klopp’s assessment of his former player following a pre-season friendly against Sevilla should excite Leeds fans who are trying to get a handle on the impact the 23-year-old could provide.
“Ryan had sensational moments in the Sevilla game – one-on-one situations are his big strength,” Klopp told Liverpool TV last summer. “He is a wonderful kid, a wonderful player.
“Very good moments in pre-season, but it is for all the boys always a big challenge as well to show up.
“They probably feel under pressure, which they shouldn’t but it is natural that it happens. I am happy about that, absolutely.”
Bielsa backed to transform John Stones
After slipping out of Manchester City’s starting XI over the past two seasons and struggling to establish himself under Pep Guardiola, John Stones has been tipped to revitalise his career with a move to Leeds.
After losing Ben White following his return to Brighton at the end of his season-long loan, Leeds are eager to add a centre-half, with Stones a potential option. And Paul Robinson believes that Stones could flourish under Bielsa.
“He’s clearly not in favour at Manchester City at the moment and with the way Bielsa likes to play – with centre-halves having to be comfortable with the ball at their feet – and he certainly fits that criteria,” Robinson told bookmakers.co.uk.
“But in the Championship Leeds conceded too many goals through defenders taking risks – John Stones is a player who takes too many chances and gets caught too often.
“Whether that would change under Bielsa, who is great at developing players as we’ve seen with Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper, would be an interesting one.”
