After promotion back to the Premier League in the summer of 2025, Leeds United have splashed over £180m on new additions to try and become a competitive top-flight outfit.
Daniel Farke’s ability to get the best out of the players who have arrived has made the Whites a genuine contender to secure a place in Europe next season.
However, should the club manage to achieve such a feat for the first time in a generation, it remains to be seen how much of a part one player will play in such a situation.
What has made Aaronson a success for Leeds United
Back in the summer of 2022, many Leeds supporters would have been unfamiliar with attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson, after arriving for around £25m from RB Salzburg.
The American international endured a somewhat slow start to his debut campaign at Elland Road, but did register a somewhat iconic goal after Eduard Mendy’s mistake.
However, such an effort would be his only strike during his debut campaign in Yorkshire, with the 26-year-old managing to resurrect his career after returning from his loan spell in Germany.
Aaronson subsequently scored nine times during the 2024/25 campaign, with such a season the best goalscoring year he’s endured after his big-money move.
His best performance since returning back to the Premier League undoubtedly came against Newcastle United in January, as the American netted a double despite suffering a 4-3 defeat.
Why Aaronson may be on borrowed time at Leeds
Despite the aforementioned figure paid for his signature and the goals he’s provided, many Leeds supporters have been left wanting more from Aaronson during his time in Yorkshire.
He registered nine combined goals and assists in England’s top-flight last term, but has since dropped back down to the bench within Farke’s current squad.
His stats from the current campaign showcase why the manager has made the right call dropping him, and why he should be sold at the next available opportunity.
The 26-year-old has only managed to average 0.4 shots per 90 in the Premier League this season, a figure which has placed him in the bottom 5% of all midfielders in the division.
Aaronson has also failed to create a single chance for any of his teammates within his six league outings, which sums up the lack of quality he can provide in forward areas.
|
Brenden Aaronson – goals by season |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Competition |
Goals |
|
2022/23 |
Premier League |
1 |
|
2023/24 |
On loan at Union Berlin |
0 for Leeds |
|
2024/25 |
Championship |
9 |
|
2025/26 |
Premier League |
4 |
|
2026/27 |
Premier League (so far) |
0 |
|
Total for Leeds |
All league seasons |
14 |
His lack of creative output is further evident in his measly tally of 2.1 line-breaking passes per 90, which like his shooting, has seen 95% of players in the league register more to date.
Why one Leeds star has been a bigger waste than Aaronson
Leeds have certainly spent a pretty penny in the market over the last decade in a bid to make the club capable of reaching the next level under current boss Farke.
A lot of the current first-team members have arrived for respectable fees and managed to provide value for money, which has allowed for the current start to the 2026/27 campaign.
However, not all of their investments have proved to be worthwhile, as seen with winger Dan James, who has struggled to live up to the hype he arrived in Yorkshire with.
The Whites paid a reported £25m to sign the Welsh international in the summer of 2021, with the hope he could transform the club’s attack in the Premier League.
However, after scoring just five times in his first 42 outings for the club, he was seen as a fringe player and subsequently loaned out to Fulham for the remainder of 2022/23.
In fairness, James did stick around for the two years in the Championship and helped the Whites return to the top-flight, but given the money paid, you would expect him to impress in the second tier.
The winger has found appearances hard to come by in the last two years, with the attacker only featuring in 26 games across all competitions – only scoring once in this season’s Carabao Cup.
It’s clear the manager no longer sees him as a key first team member at Elland Road, which, considering the money paid for his signature, is a huge shame.
On top of his £25m transfer fee, James has also taken home £17m in wages during his five years at the club, which has taken the total package for his signature up to the £42m mark.
Such a figure, coupled with his lack of impact in the Premier League last season, has undoubtedly made him a bigger waste than Aaronson – despite the American’s own struggles.
As for James, it would be a surprise to no one in Yorkshire if he were sold at the next available opportunity, as the hierarchy look to recoup as much of their investment as possible.
