Leeds United could struggle to sign Rangers winger Ryan Kent if they are relegated to the Championship ahead of next season, according to journalist Dean Jones.
Is Kent leaving Rangers this summer?
The Whites are on the verge of going down from the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, following three years back in the top flight. Destiny is out of their hands, with Everton knowing that victory over Bournemouth at Goodison Park will send both Leeds and Leicester City to the Championship, as well as Southampton.
In truth, it would take something fairly special for the Whites to remain in the division at this point, as they look to avoid the drop in dramatic circumstances for a second year in a row.
Once the summer transfer window arrives, much of the focus will be on new signings, although the calibre of players they are able to bring in could be dependent on which league they are playing in in 2023/24. One individual who has been linked with a move to Elland Road is Kent, who could leave Rangers at the end of the campaign.
The £18,000-a-week winger's current deal expires this summer, and it doesn't look as though he will sign an extension at Ibrox.
Could Leeds miss out on Kent move?
Speaking to Give Me Sport, transfer expert Jones claimed that Leeds' potential move for Kent could be scuppered if they go down this weekend:
"I don't know that Kent would be willing to play in the Championship. I don't think that's what his vision is going to be at this stage, so we'll have to wait and see exactly how the two align."
In fairness, the lure of the Premier League will be great for Kent this summer, so the thought of suddenly representing Leeds in the Championship is unlikely to appeal to him.
This is someone who played in the Europa League final for Rangers last season, and he has racked up 90 goal contributions (33 goals and 57 assists) in 218 appearances for the Scottish Premiership giants. His attacking quality could be a real asset for the Whites if he did decide to join – Steven Gerrard once called him "sensational" – but it would be hard to begrudge him a move elsewhere if a top-flight club came calling.
It highlights just how big Sunday's action is for the Leeds, with a miracle survival act proving to be so huge when it comes to signings in the summer window.