Why Leeds United are 'very interested' in Max Aarons transfer agreement

Leeds United may not be done adding to their defensive options in the transfer market.

Daniel Farke has already made a couple of moves this summer to significantly bolster his Leeds side at the back.

Tarik Muharemovic looks to be a superb acquisition in central defence, whilst a record-breaking £40million-plus move for James Trafford may well have sorted out their shot-stopping department for many years to come.

With just three new arrivals so far this summer, Leeds certainly seem to be prioritising quality over quantity, and the potential acquisition of Max Aarons could be another clever addition by the Whites.

The 26-year-old defender appears to be out of favour at Bournemouth, after not playing a competitive minutes for the Cherries throughout the 2025-26 season.

Despite that, Leeds may just have spotted an opportunity to bag an experienced full-back for a bargain price this summer.

Why Gabriel Gudmundsson may have forced Leeds into Max Aarons action

Leeds continued their strong pre-season campaign with a 4-2 win over Liverpool last Sunday.

However, Gabriel Gudmundsson was forced off after 35 minutes in that match, having collected a suspected hamstring injury.

As the Whites wait to learn the full extent of the issue, the Swede has the potential to now miss the opening few weeks of the new season, leaving Farke with a void to fill at the left wing-back spot.

And, according to an X post from The Sun transfer reporter Ekrem Konur, Leeds are "very interested" in Aarons due to his ability to provide cover in Gudmundsson's position.

The former Norwich City defender is a right-back by trade, but he can also operate on the left if needed.

Konur also claims that Coventry City and Nottingham Forest have also expressed an interest in the ex-England youth international in recent days, and so Leeds may face some stern competition for his signature.

Aarons is contracted with Bournemouth until the summer of 2029, however, meaning the Cherries are in a strong position to hold out for as big a fee as they can possibly get for him.

But how did Aarons get on in 2025-26, and where was the ex-Valencia loanee playing his football last season?

Why Aarons flashed Leeds quality contributor potential in 2025-26

Having signed for Bournemouth in the summer of 2023, Aarons has only ever made 27 competitive appearances for the Cherries.

Last season saw him loaned out to Scottish Premiership giants Rangers, where he spent the full campaign at Ibrox.

He played 35 times in all competitions for Gers, with 21 of those coming in the Scottish Premiership but only eight were starts.

As per FotMob, his 2.26 fouls won per game ranked him in the top 3.8 percentile of players in his position in that league last term.

Meanwhile, he also placed amongst the very best in his position for his 86.7 per cent pass success rate, 1.08 successful dribbles per 90, 65.8 per cent duels won rate and 2.15 touches in the opposition box per game.

So, Aarons does have similar vibes to James Justin, in that he may not be a headline signing or household name, but he's a player who can plug a variety of holes and be a solid player when called upon.