Leading journalist Phil Hay has been discussing Leeds United’s reported move for Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara.
Whilst the Leeds United correspondent for the Athletic has acknowledged that the Championship side “genuinely” like the midfielder, there are some doubts around the move.
Amid reports from the likes of Fabrizio Romano that a deal is expected to go through Phil Hay’s latest comments suggest a deal is not as far down the line as reported.
Speaking on the Square Ball podcast [around 30 mins in], Phil Hay provided an update on Leeds United’s links to Glen Kamara.
Suggesting that the situation will come to a head in the next 24 hours or so, it appears the Rangers midfielder is one of a number of options being explored at Elland Road.
”(Glen) Kamara has obviously been linked for a long time now,” Phil Hay said.
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“The thing that interests me with Kamara, or sort of makes me wonder, is that he’s been up for grabs.
“There’s no question that he’s leaving Rangers, the fee is pretty affordable, he’s a good quality player without a doubt.
“But the fact that they haven’t just got Kamara nailed down; I don’t think it says that they don’t really like him, I think they genuinely do, but it feels as if they’ve been keeping their options open.
“It feels as if there are others out there that they’d be equally happy to have which I guess is the way to play it when you get to this stage.
“I don’t think an option as in ‘we don’t really want this guy but if we have to have to him then we’ll take him’.
“(Glen Kamara is) perhaps part of a broader list in which it’s a case of there are actually some good players in here so ‘we don’t have to just jump on somebody’.
“But they are going to have to jump on some people soon because obviously the deadline is coming.”
Phil Hay: Glen Kamara one of a number of Leeds United options
Whilst the comments of Phil Hay certainly leave any Leeds United links to Glen Kamara up in the air, they certainly don’t rule out a move.
On top of that, the journalist has claimed that he suspects the Elland Road side are looking to add two midfielders to their ranks.
It comes amid links to the likes of Japanese midfielder Ao Tanaka, Celtic star Matt O’Riley and Werder Bremen star Ilia Gruev.
Interestingly, Phil Hay has suggested that Gruev is the move which is furthest down the line meaning the proposed Leeds United Glen Kamara move could be dependent on what happens elsewhere.
“The one this morning is Bulgarian midfielder at Werder Bremen,” Phil Hay.
“A guy called Ilia Gruev, which seems to have moved really quickly, he’s 23-year-old.
“I’m getting the vibes that one is going to happen, very much a Farke target.
“I can’t pretend to know a huge amount about him but that one by all accounts has got a pretty serious chance.
“I suspect they’re going to try and do two in the centre of midfield to give themselves bodies there and numbers.
“It’s just interesting talking to somebody this morning this (Ilia) Gruev one sounds like it’s got a pretty good chance.
“It’s kind of come out of nowhere and without a doubt coming from Germany is another one Farke will have had a big influence in.”
Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara hasn’t played for the Ibrox club all season long and Michael Beale has confirmed the Finnish international is set to leave Ibrox.