Leeds United have to sign Brenden Aaronson after CL masterclass y’day
Many a Leeds United supporter will have been tuned into BT Sport yesterday to watch RB Salzburg draw 1-1 with Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
All Whites eyes will have been on 21-year-old midfielder Brenden Aaronson who has been heavily linked with a move to Elland Road [Tom Bogert, MLS journalist].
He did not disappoint. The American took on some of Europe’s best players and came through in shining light, being one of the Austrian side’s most potent players in attack.
He assisted Junior Adamu’s opening goal with a small toe-poke beyond Bayern defender Benjamin Pavard but that was just the tip of the iceberg for his masterclass on the European stage.
He also made five key passes throughout the 90 minutes which was more than any other player on the pitch. Kingsley Coman and Thomas Muller, for example, both completed four [WhoScored.com].
Marcelo Bielsa will have certainly taken notice of Aaronson’s brilliant all-round display but he was so good it wouldn’t be a shock to see more clubs become interested in signing him this summer.
One very encouraging aspect of his play last night was how he was able to make surging runs from deep without being tracked as shown above.
Bielsa likes his midfield to be able to get into scoring positions and it seems like Aaronson can do it no problem already.
This was moments before he assisted Adamu to give the Austrian champions a shock lead but he was only just getting started.
Just minutes later, he was causing chaos at the back again for the 2019-20 European champions as he drew four defenders across at once before unleashing a shot at goal.
It seems almost impossible to find a route to goal from here with a blockade in front of him but he found a gap to get a shot on target, even if it was parried away by Sven Ulreich between the sticks for the German’s.
Perhaps the most obvious example of his play is above where he drags three defenders, from all sides, towards him.
He backs his ability in tight situations and here he could turn on a sixpence to play the ball to an open teammate because he needed so much attention.
Bielsa will have liked what he saw on the biggest stage of them all in club football, but he will also be aware that Leeds might not be the only pursuers when the summer rolls around.
In other Leeds United news, Bielsa has to stop this happening if they are to compete with Manchester United on Sunday.