Rangers confident they can resist Leeds United's interest in Ryan Kent, given assurance he won't push for move

TARGET - Ryan Kent, second from left, remains a player of interest for Leeds United. The Rangers man is pictured celebrating with ex Whites attacker Kemar Roofe, right. Pic: Getty

Rangers remain confident they can resist Leeds United’s interest in Ryan Kent after being assured the winger has no intention of agitating for a move during the current transfer window.

The Elland Road club have already seen an initial bid for Kent of £8.5 million, with £1.5m of potential add-ons, flatly rejected by Rangers.

Leeds still consider the player an option and according to the YEP's sister paper The Scotsman, the English Premier League newcomers are expected to return with an increased offer worth around £14m this week.

But contrary to reports in some English outlets which claim Kent has told Rangers he wants to join Leeds, The Scotsman understands the 23-year-old has reassured the Ibrox club he is settled in Glasgow and happy to stay.

Kent’s attitude and response to the situation is gratifying for Rangers manager Steven Gerrard who has made no secret of how pivotal he believes the player is to his hopes of success this season. Rangers chairman Douglas Park and his fellow directors are also understood to be wholly supportive of Gerrard’s determination to hold on to Kent’s services.

Gerrard, however, conceded that any decision on Kent’s future could be taken out of his hands should any club meet Rangers’ valuation of the man they signed on a four-year contract last September in a deal worth £7.5m.

According to Gerrard, Leeds are "nowhere near" that valuation and Kent has already underlined his importance this season with three goals in the first five league matches.

It remains to be seen whether any second bid would force the Ibrox club’s hand.

Leeds and Bielsa were keen on Kent last summer but plumped for Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah in a loan move that was ended midway through the season by the parent club, over the striker's lack of match minutes.