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This article is part of Football FanCast's Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news...

Middlesbrough and Leeds United both want to sign Ryan Kent from Liverpool this summer, per the Northern Echo.

What’s the word?

The 22-year-old is a versatile forward who can play across the front three, though he primarily plays as a left winger.

Kent has made just one senior appearance for the Reds, playing 57 minutes in an FA Cup draw with Exeter City in 2016.

He has gone on five separate loan spells during his time at Anfield, playing for Coventry City, Barnsley, SC Freiburg, Bristol City and Rangers.

He grabbed headlines last season, of course, for an alleged punch on Celtic captain Scott Brown during an Old Firm derby.

And it now appears that he could be heading out on loan again, with both Championship clubs reportedly expressing an interest in acquiring his signature.

He is valued at £12m by the Reds according to the Northern Echo, so a permanent deal is said to be unlikely.

Kent has also won six caps for England at Under-20 level.

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Let him leave permanently

Kent appears unlikely to ever make a first-team breakthrough at Liverpool.

He has been given precious little chance during his time at the Reds to make a breakthrough and, with his only first-team appearance coming three years ago, one feels that now might be the time to allow him to move on.

He has had plenty of first-team exposure while out on loan and he played 43 times in total for Rangers last season.

Keeping him on the books at this stage simply seems cruel; allowing him to leave on a permanent basis would give Kent the chance to strike out on his own and perhaps even prove Liverpool wrong.

It isn’t like the Reds don’t have options; Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane are unlikely to be usurped any time soon.

Liverpool, then, should get an exit sorted this summer.