Long-term Leeds United link a free agent after having contract terminated by Europa League club

Ryan Kent’s name has regularly surfaced in transfer reports surrounding Leeds United and the winger has recently become a free agent after seeing his Fenerbahce contract terminated.

Kent only joined the Turkish giants in the summer of 2023, having enjoyed success during a five-year spell with Rangers before seeing out his contract at Ibrox. The tricky winger was keen to find a new challenge and attracted to the proposition of Europa League football with Fenerbahce.

But it would be fair to say things have not gone to plan, with Kent playing just 19 games across all competitions. The summer appointment of Jose Mourinho has done little to help the 27-year-old either, who hadn’t played a single minute of the current campaign before seeing his contract ripped up.

A brief statement from the club read: “The contract with Ryan Kent, one of the Professional Football A Team players, has been terminated by mutual agreement. We present it to the public."

Kent reportedly turned down multiple offers from across Europe over the summer, with Mourinho informing the Liverpool academy graduate he would not play for Fenerbahce while he was in charge. And now the extreme decision has been taken to cut the winger, leaving him looking for a new club.

Leeds were genuinely interested in Kent during the summer of 2020 and saw a bid worth around £10million rejected by Rangers. Whether that interest remained in future windows is unknown but continued links with the England youth international have become a running joke in West Yorkshire.

Inevitably, The Scottish Sun named Leeds as a ‘possible landing spot’ for Kent, but reports over the summer of interest in the winger were quickly rubbished. Leeds Live cited club sources who were ‘keen to kill’ the ongoing speculation.

Leeds were in need of attacking reinforcements this summer after losing Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville to Brighton and West Ham respectively, but opted against a move for Kent. Recruitment chiefs spent £10m to sign Largie Ramazani from Spanish second-tier side UD Almeria, while Tottenham Hotspur’s Manor Solomon arrived on loan for the season.

It remains to be seen where Kent will end up but a move to Leeds is highly unlikely, not least due to priorities lying elsewhere. It could be that a free agent is signed soon but focus is entirely on midfield reinforcements, with Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev out for the long-term.

The YEP understands Cheikhou Kouyaté is among a small group of midfielders being considered by Leeds, while reports over the past week have claimed several others have been eyed. Football Insider claimed on Friday that World Cup-winning German international Christoph Kramer was at Thorp Arch, having played under Daniel Farke at Borussia Monchengladbach.