Leon King to demand summer loan move amid Rangers exit suggestions
Leon King should be demanding a summer loan exit from Rangers, according to Derek Ferguson.
The 20-year-old Ibrox academy product has just nine minutes of Scottish Premiership football under his belt this term, with his only other appearance a cameo showing in the 2-0 Scottish FA Cup win over Ayr United (10 February).
King made nine league starts last term but is out of favour under Philippe Clement and Chris Jack suggested on the Rangers Review (21 February) that the youngster could be one of three players allowed to leave this summer as the boss looks to improve his defence.
Ferguson – speaking exclusively to Ibrox News – thinks the time is right for King to get more first-team minutes under his belt, though suggested that going on loan might be the best solution.
“It’s always great to see the guys coming through the academies and getting in the squad but he’s had a lack of game time and I think he’s served his apprenticeship,” he said.
“My understanding is when you get to the age of 20/21 you’re a man, you’re not a young boy anymore, you’ve been through that process of trying to make the first-team squad.
“If you’re not going to be a first-teamer it’s important to go out and get experience. The only way to do that is go out and play, whatever level that might be.
“It could be the Championship in Scotland, could maybe be League One or Two in England. I think it’s important for the young guys to get out and play first-team football, he’s had very little first-team football.
“I would like to see him come out and say I want to be playing first-team football, get out on loan. I hate when I see young players just sitting in the background.
“I want to see them fight for their places, show the manager and prove them wrong, go and produce good football at another football club and try and come back in a better way.”
Will Leon King leave Rangers in Ibrox summer exit?
It is an interesting suggestion from Ferguson and there would plenty of teams interested in taking him on loan next season, you would assume.
That said, he has been in and around the first team long enough now for Rangers to know whether he is going to be part of the long-term vision at Ibrox.
If it is clear that he is not going to be part of the squad moving forward then, realistically, is a loan move a good idea for the club?
King is at an age where he needs to be playing regularly but it might be that a permanent exit is more viable for him.
In other Rangers news, two Sky Sports pundits clashed over Lennon Miller’s potential exit from Motherwell to Ibrox.
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