Ryan Kent free transfer destination tipped after Philippe Clement admission at Rangers
Rangers have been tipped to miss out on re-signing Ryan Kent in favour of a move to Leeds United, by Carlton Palmer.
The pundit told Football League World on 29 October that the former Fenerbahce winger is someone that clubs may nee to be "careful" with after his nightmare spell with the Turkish giants after leaving Ibrox originally.
English League One side Leyton Orient now said to be enquiring about a move for him and Championship side Leeds United hold a long-standing interest amid links to a Gers return, according to the Scottish Sun (26 October).
The 27-year-old is also believed to have potential options in Saudi Arabia despite the clamour for him to head back to Auchenhowie to train [Daily Mail, 22 October], but Palmer has named Elland Road as the right choice for the Englishman.
He said: "Listen, it's one of those. Sometimes a player goes somewhere and things don't work out. Kent joined Turkish club Fenerbache, but the 27-year-old winger - who was on a four-year contract - had his contract ripped up.
"He can now train and play for any football club in January. It just didn't work out for him, he struggled for game time there and it was an unhappy spell for him in Turkey... He joined on a free from Rangers in 2023 and fell out of favour quickly. Apparently, Leeds United are a club looking at Kent.
"I've always said you've got to be careful with free transfers and players who are out of contract, they're out of contract for a reason. But I think with Kent, this may well be a good move for Leeds - certainly an ambitious move for Leyton Orient.
"Apparently there's some interest from Steven Gerrard's Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq, he's out of contract so that makes him very appealing and he's still got some time at 27. Sometimes you go to some places and it doesn't work out.
"It's an ambitious move for Leyton Orient, apparently Leeds are interested and I think other clubs will be looking very, very closely."
Leeds United tipped for former Rangers star
Philippe Clement confirmed on 18 October that he had previously held talks over signing Kent before he joined Rangers permanently while managing in Belgium.
Despite otherwise maintaining that he wouldn't comment on transfer rumours it was a surprisingly positive assessment from the Ibrox boss compared to have he often shuts down questions on potential signings.
So it would be no shock if he held some interest in doing a deal for the former Gers star who departed Glasgow just a few months before Clement arrived.
Injuries to Rabbi Matondo and Oscar Cortes have made the wide options an issue, with Nedim Bajrami regularly starting on the flank of late, but there are still a number of difficulties in bringing Kent back.
As Palmer points out he is only available for a reason, and had he been tearing it up in Istanbul then the Super Lig side would still have him, but two successive managers saw fit to freeze him out, even if it would be far from the first time Jose Mourinho has turned against a player.
Financially it would require Kent to take a more modest wage than he is accustomed to, even if a free transfer would leave the door open to a profit in a year or two if he returned to form.
But the rival options look hard to overcome if Leeds or Saudi sides are in the mix, given the financial possibilities in the Middle East and the fact that Daniel Farke's Whites could be bound for the Premier League.
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