Sheffield United are in pole position to sign Liverpool winger Ryan Kent on loan for the second half of the season, according to a reliable journalist.
Sun correspondent Alan Nixon reported on his personal Twitter account on Friday afternoon that Championship promotion hopefuls United “have [their] noses in front” to land Kent, 21.
Nixon explained that Liverpool are willing to terminate Kent’s season-long loan at Bundesliga club Freiburg this month in order for him to start a new loan, and the final destination depends on the club accepting the Premier League giants’ condition that they must make penalty payments if he does not play.
The Echo report that Leeds are among a number of Championship clubs interested in taking Kent on loan, with Derby County and Middlesbrough also in the base.
If he is recalled, it is said that the most likely outcome would be another loan to a club that can guarantee Kent regular first-team action.
Kent has appeared in just six of Freiburg’s 17 Bundesliga matches this term, and has failed to score or record an assist in those matches.
OPINION
Liverpool are keen for Kent to go to an English Championship club for the second half of the campaign after his move to the Bundesliga soon turned sour. The left winger has been given only 241 minutes of first team action after failing to gain the trust of the coaching staff and he is prepared to drop a division to get regular game time. This is key. Kent showed during a loan spell at Barnsley last season that he can cut it in the English second tier and he would make a brilliant January signing for one of the promotion hopefuls, such as Yorkshire rivals Leeds and Sheffield United. Direct, mobile and capable of causing havoc on the left flank, Kent is a player who needs the trust of his manager to really shine. After the arrested development of his Germany experience, it is vital he finds a club where he can play week in, week out.