Leeds United have secured promotion to the Premier League but with that, some difficult decisions will have to be made and some key players this season could be moved on.
Already, Phil Hay has suggested Illan Meslier will leave the club while Junior Firpo, Sam Byram and Josuha Guilavogui are out of contract. Guilavogui will “almost certainly” leave Leeds in the coming weeks.
But there will be more potential departures, especially with Leeds expected to spend north of £100m on new players. New signings will come in and push the current crop down the pecking order this summer.
Those that have not proved themselves in the Championship this season. The likes of Meslier who has made mistakes, possibly Joel Piroe even with his 19 goals and certainly, playmaker Brenden Aaronson.
Brenden Aaronson’s future has taken a twist ahead of World Cup
Many outside of Leeds have looked in without delving deep and feel Aaronson has had a good season. But those of a Leeds persuasion will tell you that Aaronson is probably the worst player in the starting XI.
Of course, Aaronson has played in all 45 Championship games, starting 43. He is expected to make that 44 out of 46 on Saturday, but only because – and Daniel Farke has admitted this – there isn’t another 10.
The Athletic now report that with a new no.10 likely to be a priority for Farke and Leeds, Aaronson is set to lose his place in the side moving into the Premier League. He will however, be desperate for minutes.
Aaronson was left out of the last United States squad by Mauricio Pochettino and ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the USA (Mexico and Canada), Aaronson may choose to leave in search of game time.
The issue Leeds will have when trying to sell Brenden Aaronson
Aaronson signed for Leeds in the summer of 2022 for a massive £25m fee from Salzburg, forming a reunion with Jesse Marsch. He was actually a target for Marcelo Bielsa before Marsch was appointed.
But things haven’t gone to plan. A woeful first season despite playing 40 times saw him earn criticism for a lack of physicality, before being one of eight to use Victor Orta’s loan clause, joining Union Berlin.
He returned in the summer to much criticism but has won some admiration back. However, Aaronson has been hit and miss, managing just nine goals and only two assists. Now, Aaronson may seek an exit.
The problem is, Aaronson cost £25m and has two years left on his five-year deal. If Leeds sell now, the chances are they would struggle to get anything close to their initial fee – a big Financial Fairplay hit.
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