Leeds’ 49ers owners gearing up for transfer battle with Bournemouth’s Bill Foley
Leeds United hero Joseph Stephenson’s medals and England caps appear on Antiques Roadshow
Leeds United have been linked with a move to sign former Liverpool and Rangers forward Ryan Kent amid interest from Bournemouth FC. The two clubs are set to lock horns for the current Fenerbahçe star, with both team’s American owners willing to splash the cash.
Kent signed for Fenerbahçe following five years at Scottish Premiership side Rangers. His time at the club saw him lift the league title in 2021 under the guidance of Steven Gerrard, the club’s first title in a decade, and win the Scottish Cup a year later.
Following the end of his contract, the 27-year-old signed a four-year deal with the Turkish Super Lig side. Despite joining the team with plenty of promise, the English forward has struggled to hit the ground running.
In 15 games for the club across all competitions, Kent has just the one goal to his name and two assists. The winger has also struggled for minutes in the league, having played no more than 16 minutes in the league since his debut.
Despite his lack of minutes and inconsistent form, Kent has attracted interest back in England. One club reportedly vying for his signature is Championship side Leeds United.
The club were heavily linked with a move for Kent before his deal to join Fenerbahçe was finalised and have been given a fresh boost with TEAMtalk revealing that the Turkish club are willing to accept loan offers in January.
The report suggests Kent is struggling to fit in at the club and could be open to a move as a result.
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While the news will be welcomed by Leeds, they aren’t the only club interested. The report went on to add that Premier League side Bournemouth have also expressed their desire to land the winger to a deal on the south coast.
The transfer battle will be an interesting watch with both clubs being owned by American entrepreneurs, perhaps unwilling to see a rival gain the upper hand. Leeds are owned under the umbrella of the 49ers Enterprises, a business that also owns the NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers.
Bournemouth also has its share of American owners, including Las Vegas-based businessman Bill Foley. The club also recently saw award-winning actor, director and producer Michael B Jordan join the team as a minority owner.
While both English teams have expressed an interest, there have also been reports suggesting that Rangers could be tempted to resign Kent. The footballer was an integral part to the Scottish side, scoring 33 goals and registering 56 assists in 218 games for the club.
Rangers are struggling for attacking depth which would see Kent be an obvious option. Howevever, new manager Philippe Clement has refused to be drawn into speculation surrounding a potential deal.
“I can say something very important for the next few months I will never go in to rumours. It has no use to go in to rumours, I will only speak on players inside this building,” he said. “I’ve been in football more than 30 years, so many things can happen before a player is in our out of a building. It’s of no use to talk about rumours with me.
“I can only say things when they are realistic, and it’s not about this case (Kent). I want to be clear about that. Just in general for the next two months for December and January.”
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