According to reports in the Daily Mail on July 19, Leeds United face competition from a number of clubs in the race to sign Liverpool winger Ryan Kent on loan.

The Hull Daily Mail says that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is willing to send the 20-year-old out on a temporary basis – as he did when he joined Barnsley on loan last season – but only when the wide-man has extended his current contract, which is due to run out in 2019.

The Daily Mail suggests that Hull City are Leeds’ main competitors to bring Kent to the Championship, although Birmingham City and Premier League outfit Brighton and Hove Albion are also credited with an interest.

Whites boss Thomas Christiansen is keen to strengthen his squad as he looks to better the club’s seventh-place finish last term, and he has already brought in seven new players – Mateusz Klich, Hadi Sacko, Felix Wiedwald, Vurnon Anita, Caleb Ekuban, Samuel Saiz and Ezgjan Alioski.

Here are three reasons Leeds must win the race to sign Kent on loan…

They need more width

While Leeds have brought in a number of players this summer – including Hadi Sacko and Ezgjan Alioski, who both able to play on the right-hand side – they don’t have as many options on the opposite flank and need to strengthen there.

Kent’s preferred position is on the left wing and if the Yorkshire outfit can win the race to sign the 20-year-old on loan, they would certainly be looking stronger in the wide positions going into what is going to be another tough and arduous Championship campaign.

Championship experience

Many of Leeds’ summer signings will be making their first starts in English football come the start of the Championship campaign next month, but Kent certainly wouldn’t be if he moved to Elland Road.

The 20-year-old spent last season on loan with the Whites’ Yorkshire rivals Barnsley and he was an impressive performer on the left wing for the Tykes.

The wide-man will certainly have more experience and know-how of what is needed to be a threat in the division now, and he could once again torment opposition right-backs next term as Leeds aim for a top six finish minimum.

Qualities

The fact that he has already featured for Liverpool in their pre-season tour of Asia, and the fact that the Merseyside outfit want to him to sign a new deal before he leaves on loan, shows just how much the Premier League club rate the 20-year-old.

It isn’t hard to see why when you look at how he fared for Barnsley in the Championship last season, when he scored three goals and provided one assist in 39 league appearances for the Tykes.

That doesn’t tell the full story though as the winger created 62 chances for his teammates, while he also showed his dribbling abilities by successfully completing 94 take-ons, winning 52 fouls.

Do you agree, Leeds fans? Let us know below.