Brenden Aaronson deal calls Leeds United transfer business into question
Brenden Aaronson’s transfer from RB Salzburg to Leeds United last summer is looking to be one of the worst transfers of recent times, as the American joins Union Berlin on loan – a sign of how poor their recruitment really was.
Almost one year to the day since Aaronson joined Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United side for a huge £21.4million, the midfielder has left the club to join Union Berlin on loan, leading to his spell in England being labelled as one of the worst deals of all time by fans.
Aaronson joined the club a year ago, following his former Salzburg boss Marsch to Elland Road, and managed just one goal and three assists from his 36 games playing as an attacking midfield player.
Question the business of the former owners
In fact, plenty of Leeds’ business is being called into question this summer, with Marc Roca, Rasmus Kristensen, Robin Koch, Diego Llorente and Rodrigo all linked to moves away on top of Aaronson, a closer look at these deals calls the finances into question.
Leeds United spent a combined £96.5million on these players [fees from Transfermarkt] who they are now highly unlikely to see even a fraction of that money back from, at least in this window.
Koch, Llorente and Aaronson have already left the club on loan, while Roca [AS, 8 July] and Kristensen [Leeds Live, 9 July] look set to follow suit and Rodrigo’s £3million release clause isn’t a scratch on the fee the club laid out to bring him to Elland Road in the first place.
Leeds United fans should feel relieved that the former ownership will soon be rid of the club, following the dismissal of the director of football Victor Orta last season, so that the club can move on from the frankly awful decisions of the past.
A close look at the types of deals Leeds were doing, and the returns both on the pitch and in their eventual departures from the club, shows a new direction was desperately needed, so fans will be hoping to see that from the 49ers.
In other Leeds United news, a Leeds duo have picked up injuries, although they’re still likely to leave.