An Ibrox talent linked to Manchester United will depart
In January, Rangers plan to send Leon King out on loan because there aren’t many opportunities at Ibrox.
Despite being highly regarded, the 19-year-old center defender is expected to go on a temporary contract, according to the Daily Record, because Philippe Clement “can’t guarantee” regular first team participation.
Given that there are now other players ahead of Leon King in the pecking order, it seems that Rangers are searching for “suitable options” for the center back in advance of the January transfer window.
The two center-back positions are now shared by Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun; in the Belgian manager’s eyes, the adolescent should be positioned below John Souttar, Ben Davies, and even Dujon Sterling.
Leon King to leave the Rangers in January?
Leon King might be better off going on loan in January given the Academy defender hasn’t played yet this year.
This is the case even though Giovanni van Bronckhorst relied extensively on the center-back throughout the Ibrox team’s Champions League run last season, despite the player’s chronic physical problems.
Leon King finds himself in a bit of a Rangers limbo after drawing interest from teams like Manchester United and Newcastle United just a year ago, at least according to Fabricio Romano.
The defender was expected to be a part of Michael Beale’s plans for the Rangers squad this season, but an injury that was not as serious as initially thought led the team to look elsewhere for cover in Leon Balogun.
The Scotland youth international needs to start his career somewhere else because the defender hasn’t been able to make a comeback into the squad since then. He currently appears to be so far out of the lineup.
Leon King, unquestionably one of the best young players in Scottish football, is ready for more first-team experience. We’ll see where he ends up in January.
At the end of 2022, the center-back signed a “long-term” contract extension with Rangers, with Transfermarkt speculating that the agreement would last until 2026.
Rangers Academy alert
Leon King is the most recent young Rangers star to struggle with consistency after breaking through into the team as he is ready to go on loan in January.
A number of young players have received their Rangers debuts in recent seasons, including Johnly Yfeko, Bailey Rice, Cole McKinnon, Adam Devine, Alex Lowry, Nathan Patterson, and Zak Lovelace.
With the exception of Scotland international Nathan Patterson, who moved to Everton, the other players have either faded into the background or were sent out on loan.
The circumstances surrounding Leon King ought to serve as a cautionary tale for Ross McCausland, the most recent Academy graduate to join the Rangers.
The youthful Northern Irish winger, who recently inked a new deal, is expected to reverse the current trend and establish himself as a regular member of the Rangers squad.
On the other hand, if Leon King leaves the Rangers in January, his goal must be to return to Ibrox and reach his full potential there.
GET MORE NEWS HERE