Beren Cross warns of potential Leeds United summer bidding war for Brenden Aaronson
If Leeds United decide to return for Brenden Aaronson in the summer Red Bull Salzburg have “every right” to drive the price up, says Beren Cross.
The American was the main Whites target throughout the January transfer window, but the Austrians would not accept any of the bids made for him.
It is widely expected that the move will be revisited in the summer, but that may not be as straight forward as hoped if any rival suitors come forward, but the reporter feels the January saga won’t have woken up any competition that would not have been there anyway.
In a Leeds Live Q&A, Cross responded to a fan’s worries that another team will swoop in and outbid United by saying: “They like him, their chase this month will show him how serious they are and they will hope something can be done in the summer.
“The market is the market, though, and Salzburg will have every right to drive the price as high as they can if there is competition.”
Out of reach
Aaronson will go down as the face of this window whatever happens going forward.
The team appeared to be desperate for strengthening after the injuries and the slide down the table, but Marcelo Bielsa was not interested in those that were available.
Victor Orta spent a lot of time and effort on one that wasn’t, attempting the prize the USMNT midfielder from Salzburg to no avail, and the repercussions of that have the potential to be major.
Since nobody else was brought in as an alternative the manager is left to rely on those on the extensive injury list returning to the fray, and squad players stepping up, which is a risk considering the predicament Leeds are currently in.
And if they are caught up in a bidding war in the summer it will be all the more frustrating in fans’ eyes.
However, it has to be noted that while £20million is the price that will be stuck in people’s minds, that ultimately was unsuccessful.
So if the future price to Leeds is higher then that may have been the price all along, but if he eventually goes elsewhere it will not matter what the fee is as it will be a disappointment all round at Elland Road.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay raises a major question about the future of Marcelo Bielsa.