According to the Daily Record, Leeds United are plotting a double raid on Premier League giants Liverpool in the summer for Ryan Kent and Harry Wilson, with manager Marcelo Bielsa looking to build a squad capable of thriving in the Premier League.
Both Kent and Wilson have enjoyed a wonderful run this season at Steven Gerrard’s Rangers and Frank Lampard’s Derby County respectively and Bielsa believes they are the sort of players who can take the club to a new level. (h/t Daily Record)
Kent has been a livewire down the left-hand side of the pitch at Ibrox and has impressed with 6 goals and 10 assists from 36 appearances for the Gers in all competitions.
The Daily Record claims that Gerrard is planning to make a personal plea to Jurgen Klopp in a bid to keep Kent at Rangers beyond the end of the season, though the Gers are likely to be priced out of a move if Liverpool put him up for sale.
Wilson, on the other hand, has really come of age at Pride Park this season and has been a key player for Lampard down the right of his preferred 4-3-3 formation. The youngster scored 7 goals on loan at Hull City last season and he has bettered those numbers at Derby this time around, contributing with 12 goals from a wide position on the right.
Meanwhile, Leeds United had a major slip-up in the race for automatic promotion as the Whites suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of Wigan Athletic at home on Friday. Bielsa’s side sat second in the standings prior to the game but they were leapfrogged by Sheffield United, who won 2-0 against Nottingham Forest.
Leeds have put themselves on the verge of promotion with a wonderful run this season and they just cannot afford to let themselves down in the dying stages of the campaign. The Whites should be looking to win each of their remaining 3 games in the Championship to secure automatic promotion for the first time in 15 years.
Now, should Leeds make it back to the Premier League, they would need to spend a hefty amount to bring in some quality players to survive in the top flight.
If Leeds manage to secure promotion, Bielsa is likely to get a hefty amount to spend in the summer and the acquisition of two immensely-talented youngsters in the form of Harry Wilson and Ryan Kent would be a huge coup for the Whites.
Both the players are aged 22 and they have already shown strong signs of excellence, which might be enough evidence that they are capable of making the step up to the Premier League.
Kent has flourished as a right-footed inverted winger operating down the left on loan at Ibrox this season, while left-footed creative ace Wilson has been a hugely influential figure playing out wide on the right at Pride Park. Both are versatile players with good goalscoring pedigree who are capable of playing on either flank and through the centre as a supporting striker.
However, a closer analysis of both the players reveals that Kent is predominantly a winger who relies on his pace, low centre-of-gravity, dribbling and crossing, while Wilson is a more dynamic and elegant attacker who has the creativity and the vision to unleash delightful passes as well.
Wilson and Kent would be an upgrade on the likes of Jack Harrison and Tyler Roberts, while also increasing competition for places and adding to the depth in the wide attacking options at Elland Road.
Pablo Hernandez has been a key figure under Marcelo Bielsa but the 33-year-old might find it tough to adapt to the physical and highly-competitive nature of the Premier League, as he reaches the twilight of his career.
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With their ability to create chances in the final third, Harry Wilson and Ryan Kent might prove to be the perfect feeder for Kemar Roofe up front, and that said, the Whites should not hesitate to strike a deal for the young duo.