Leon King seals out-of-window Rangers loan exit as new announcement emerges
Leon King has fallen down the pecking order at Rangers, and the defender faced an uncertain future throughout the summer transfer window.
The 21-year-old has one year remaining on his contract at Ibrox, and with Nasser Djiga and Derek Cornelius among the arrivals this summer, the centre-back would have struggled for game time.
King has not featured at all under Russell Martin, but a move away from Rangers failed to materialise before the transfer window shut.
However, nearly a week after the deadline, King has now completed a move away, with Rangers officially confirming his exit.
Leon King joins Ayr United on loan
Rangers have now announced that King has joined Scottish Championship side Ayr United on loan, in a deal until the end of the season.
- King has made 42 senior appearances for Rangers.
- The defender has featured across the back line and in midfield, but is naturally a centre-back.
Ayr United are yet to win in four league games so far, like Rangers, and are seventh in the Championship with three draws and a defeat.
It has not been announced if King has extended his contract before going out on loan, but it appears that his Rangers career is over for now, with the defender not valued as a first-team member by Martin.
“We can today confirm defender Leon King has joined Ayr United on-loan until the end of the season. He heads to Ayr for the season with the best wishes of everyone at Rangers,” the club posted in a statement.
Leon King has played his final game for Rangers
As it stands, King is set to depart at the end of the season as his contract comes to an end, and there has been no sign of a new deal for the defender.
With King set to spend the entire season at Ayr United, he will leave Ibrox without any more appearances to his name.
King is clearly some way off the required level despite his age, as the only move that materialised was a loan to a lower division.
Cornelius has joined on loan with an option to buy, and if he impresses, it seems likely that the Canada International will stay at Ibrox permanently, with no gap opening for King to stake a claim for a starting spot.
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