Leeds United are bracing for a rocky summer of ups and downs, with the first sign of trouble appearing to be playmaker Brenden Aaronson.
The 23-year-old struggled in his debut season at Leeds after becoming Jesse Marsch’s first signing for a whopping £25 million from Salzburg. Aaronson and Marsch were reunited in this transfer, but it did not work out.
Aaronson, who was frequently chastised by Leeds supporters for his lack of aggressiveness, only scored once in 40 games for the club. He jumped ship at the earliest opportunity, utilizing Victor Orta’s relegation loan clause in 2023.
He joined Bundesliga team Union Berlin, which had qualified for the Champions League. The eight players who exploited the loan clause were hated by the club’s supporters and left at the first opportunity.
Rather than addressing their role in the club’s relegation to the Championship. Aaronson struggled in the early half of the season, but improved significantly in the second half as Union avoided relegation.
Leeds made a surprise choice to choose Brenden Aaronson following Farke discussions. Union secured a triumph on the final day with an extra-time winner against Freiburg. Aaronson assisted on Union’s first goal, but it was shortly revealed that he would not be staying at Union.
Graham Smyth has reported on the Yorkshire Evening Post’s website that Aaronson and Farke have spoken. Following those conversations, Farke and Leeds decided to keep Aaronson for the 2024-24 season.
Given the popular backlash to the “tremendous” Aaronson and other loanees, this move was unexpected. Many anticipated Leeds would seize the opportunity to cash in on individuals who had departed the club.
Why Aaronson could stay at Leeds following Farke discussions
There are several factors that will have contributed to this decision. The first is on the pitch, and Farke has been without a suitable No.10 at Elland Road since Nadiem Amiri and Matt O’Riley’s signings fell through last summer.
But the most likely scenario is that Aaronson’s stock is low. He is currently much below the standard of a £25 million-rated player, and selling him would result in a big loss for Leeds, even if clubs were interested in signing him.
The wise decision would be to give Aaronson another chance when Leeds lack a ten, allowing his worth to rise under Farke. That is, assuming Aaronson can overcome the negative feelings supporters have towards him.
