Exclusive: Leeds set sights on signing two Rangers players amid key development
Leeds United are closely monitoring Rangers duo Ryan Kent and Connor Goldson ahead of the summer, Football Insider has learned.
The Championship promotion favourites have separate shortlists of targets depending on whether they are in the Premier League or the English second tier next season.
A Leeds source has told Football Insider that playmaker Kent, 23, and centre-back Goldson, 27, are both deemed potentially capable of thriving in the top flight should they succeed in their promotion bid.
United sent scouts to assess the pair in Rangers' 1-0 Europa League win against Sporting Braga in Portugal on Wednesday.
Kent scored the winner as Steven Gerrard's side secured a memorable 4-2 aggregate triumph to reach the last 16 of the competition and Goldson also impressed in an outstanding team display.
Goldson and Kent are widely regarded as two of Rangers' outstanding players and both are big favourites of Gerrard.
United are keen to assess the pair in the most demanding fixtures, notably in Europe and tough away matches.
They came close to sign former Liverpool man Kent last summer but could not agree a deal before Rangers made him their second most expensive ever signing in a £7million transfer.
Leeds will face strong competition for Goldson, who has also attracted interest from the likes of West Brom and Fulham as well as Premier League big hitters West Ham.
Of United''s current three senior centre-backs, Ben White is on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion and will return to his parent club in the summer while Gaetano Berardi is out of contract at the end of June.