Leon King: I’d love to stay at Rangers but it’s ‘up to folk off the pitch’
Leon King has been a breakthrough star at Rangers this season, and the 18-year-old seems keen to stick around.
King has stepped up to the plate for Rangers this season, and has deputized for the injured Connor Goldson this last week.
A boyhood Rangers fan, King came up through the club’s academy and is now nailing down a spot in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad.
Fabrizio Romano reported interest from Leeds United [Here We Go Podcast], but King has said he wants to stay at Ibrox for “as long as possible”.
“I see this as just the start at Rangers, especially being a young player being pushed into the first team at a young age,” said King, as quoted by the Scottish Daily Express.
“Being a Rangers fan as well, it’s amazing. I’d like to stay at Rangers for as long as possible and make my mark here but that’s up to folk off the pitch. I’ve got representatives here that will deal with that.”
Promising news
With Rangers already struggling for defensive options, it’s fantastic to hear that King is planning a long-term career at Ibrox.
At 18, he’s already a crucial part of Van Bronckhorst’s plans and has become a first-team regular following Goldson’s injury.
The experience he’s gathering now will serve him well in the long term, and he’ll forever be a fan favourite in Glasgow due to his growth in the academy.
Interest will only grow in King as he improves and grows as a player, but his latest comments will reassure Gers fans of his intent to stay.
Even at his tender age, King has shown great leadership and bravery, including coming on against Liverpool in the harshest of conditions. Should he continue on his current trajectory, he ticks every box required of a future Rangers captain.
It’ll be tough for Rangers to reject incoming bids for King if they match the club’s valuation, but the board should be doing everything possible to tie him down for the long term.
In other Rangers news, the club nearly signed Russian league’s top scorer Gamid Agalarov this summer