"Makes no sense" - Leeds United face tough summer call after eight-figure fee revealed | OneFootball

‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Leeds United loaned Brenden Aaronson to Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin in the summer, but things haven't gone to plan for the USMNT international in Germany.

The Whites saw numerous players leave the club shortly after relegation from the Premier League, as loan clauses became a pressing issue for Daniel Farke and the 49ers to deal with and navigate in the market.

A loan to a Champions League club came as a shock when Aaronson joined his latest side but he and his new club have both struggled this season. Union sit 16th in the Bundesliga heading into the final game of the season and Aaronson has just two goals and one assist from 37 appearances so far, with 14 of those coming as starts.

Aaronson came to the Whites with a decent reputation from his time in Austria with RB Salzburg and plenty of potential at the age of just 22 but what Leeds were served up on the pitch was not worth the reported fee of close to £25 million, with the midfielder penning a five-year deal at Elland Road.

It was a huge overspend in the end, with the USMNT international scoring once and assisting a further three times in 40 appearances for Leeds. The attacking midfielder showed a lack of strength and physicality whilst also struggling to create consistently, and the same issues have hampered him during his loan in Berlin as well.

Now, Leeds are willing to accept offers worth around £12 million for Aaronson this summer, according to Football Insider, who also report the Whites are prepared to cash in on the 23-year-old during the upcoming summer transfer window.

It is also believed that Union Berlin have no interest in sealing a permanent deal to sign Aaronson, meaning he will return to Elland Road at the end of the campaign. However, the Championship side have dramatically knocked down the asking price in order to get him off the books.

Brenden Aaronson's Leeds United future

Aaronson's time in West Yorkshire could be coming to an end, albeit at potentially a fraction of the cost paid initially.

Here, we ask our FLW writers their verdict on what Leeds United should do in both the short- and long-term with regards to Aaronson and his Elland Road future.

Adam Elliott

Truthfully, plenty of the players who struggled at Premier League level last season have looked like stars at second tier level for Leeds and Aaronson may well be no different, should the club fail to gain promotion.

In the Championship, he could be a genuine asset and has the ability to cover a few positions in terms of his versatility and skillset. He has technical qualities and speed, whilst his engine and work rate cannot be criticised whatsoever. Aaronson could fill in within the number-eight role, as well as the number-ten position, and has played plenty of his career out wide as well, which could make him a handy squad player at any level.

Also, in the modern financial era, when factoring in amortisation, it makes it difficult to recapture a significant enough proportion of the initial fee paid without making a book loss currently in terms of PSR (profit and sustainability regulation rules). The £12 million suggested would be inherently risky and borderline nonsensical when trying to balance those books in a transfer window.

If Leeds are promoted, it would make little sense to try and sell him with his resale value non-existent, which may never recover, but a loan to a different environment could get more out of the American if the club are unwilling to utilise him, but a sale makes no sense at the current time unless its for over 60% of the £25 million payment in 2022.

Aaronson may never make it as a player in English football due to his lack of physicality, as he struggles to shield the ball and draw fouls in the absence of upper body strength, but he either needs to be reintegrated in the Championship, or loaned out in the Premier League to up his market value as much as possible, and protect the club against financial infringement for selling too low.

Ned Holmes

It's hard to see Brenden Aaronson returning to Leeds United and forcing his way into Daniel Farke's side.

The bitter circumstances that saw the American depart Elland Road have left him an unpopular figure among the Whites' support while there has been little to suggest from his past through seasons that he will be an asset should the Yorkshire club win promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

If Leeds are playing Championship football again next season then Aaronson could be a useful squad option and Farke may want to run the rule over him in those circumstances but otherwise, it feels like trying to offload him again makes the most sense.

You can understand why the club have had to reduce the asking price given his struggles in recent seasons and another loan spell may be the best strategy, as if he can rediscover his best away from Elland Road, the club may be able to recapture more of the fee they paid for him.

His reputation among Leeds supporters means it feels like we are unlikely to see Aaronson in a Leeds shirt again but if Farke feels he has a part to play moving forward, then fans will need to put that behind them.