The Athletic's Phil Hay has dropped an update on Leeds United's pursuit of Rangers star Ryan Kent in this summer transfer window.

What's the story?

Last year, Marcelo Bielsa's side had bids rejected for the former Liverpool winger, and recently The Daily Mirror claimed that "Leeds are also keeping a watching brief on Rangers’ Ryan Kent and he is also someone Bielsa has liked for a long time."

Hay has now delivered an update on where things stand.

In a Q&A for The Athletic, he said: "At the right price, I'm sure Bielsa would be interested. But Rangers have been talking about £20m and Leeds wouldn't be keen to stretch to that.

"He likes Kent, we know that. My gut feeling is that Bielsa would prefer Kent or James."

Fans should be excited

Having had a fine season in the Scottish Premiership last term - Kent scored 13 goals and set up another 15 - it's no surprise that Hay has claimed Bielsa would very much be interested in doing a deal for the flying winger.

Former Gers striker Kris Boyd has raved about the 24-year-old previously, saying: "There's Ryan Kent who is phenomenal – he gets you off your seat. His numbers have increased season after season. Even if the team are not at the level we saw at the start of the campaign, he is still a threat. He is so comfortable with the ball – it is like has superglue in his boots!"

Given that Bielsa was interested in signing him last summer too, and ended up having bids rejected for him, suggests that the Leeds manager sees Kent as a key target who could elevate his team.

Bielsa isn't someone who blindly accepts transfer targets, with Hay also revealing in that Q&A that during their promotion attempts, the club tried to offer him the likes of Glenn Murray and Billy Sharp, but the Argentine turned down those opportunities.

Therefore, the fact Bielsa is keen on signing Kent should have the Whites hierarchy doing their utmost to grant the manager's wishes. Given his performances with Rangers, the winger would certainly be an exciting signing if Leeds could pull it off.

Meanwhile, Joe Wainman has dropped an exciting Leeds transfer claim...