Brenden Aaronson’s focus will be on international glory at present. The Leeds United midfielder has been included in the USA squad for next week’s CONCACAF Nations League finals and he’ll be dreaming of getting his hands on silverware after a rough debut season in the Premier League.
The Americans face Mexico in the semi-final in Las Vegas, with the winner progressing to face either Panama or Canada in the final of the competition, in a similar fashion to the UEFA equivalent. Just a few days after that final, USA will kick off their defence of the Gold Cup against Jamaica in Chicago.
Aaronson can expect to be involved in that and he won’t be thinking about much beyond the Gold Cup final on July 16 in Los Angeles. While the 22-year-old is away on international duty, though, there has already been speculation regarding his future in West Yorkshire.
Read more: Wilfried Gnonto handed chance to impress with Leeds United future up in the air
It has been reported that Aaronson has a relegation release clause in the contract he signed last summer following his move from Red Bull Salzburg, while Football Insider claimed on Monday morning that a loan move has been mooted, with a number of Bundesliga clubs showing interest. He’s not the only one to have been linked away from Elland Road in the days following Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League, but it seems the club have a decision to make as they put plans in place for their first season back in the Championship.
Whether Aaronson will be a part of those plans, remains to be seen, as the club consider their options. Here’s a look at what the club will be mulling over as they decide whether to keep, loan or sell the attacking midfielder.
Keep
There’s no doubt about it, Aaronson is a player with heaps of potential and on his day he can be a real handful for opposing teams. Leeds fans saw that at the start of last season as he performed with confidence, energy and guile during his first couple of months in the Premier League and his performance against Chelsea sticks in the memory.
Unfortunately, his form nosedived from that point on and despite being the club’s most used player, alongside Jack Harrison, throughout the course of the campaign, he struggled to have the desired impact and picked up plenty of criticism as a result. By the end of the season he had to make do with minimal minutes off the bench as patience wore thin in the dugout.
If he is to stay, dropping down a level to the Championship might just allow him to take the steps needed to get back to his best. It’s a demanding league and Aaronson will be challenged physically and mentally, as he was in the Premier League, but he has the ability required to thrive in the second tier.
There’s plenty still to be decided as Leeds prepare for life outside the Premier League, but ambitions of bouncing back at the first time of asking are a certainty and should Aaronson be able to find his feet and regain some of the confidence he arrived at the club with, he has the potential to be a key man next season.
His market value might take a hit down the line should he struggle to impress in the Championship, but that may well be a risk worth taking.
Loan
In some respects allowing Aaronson to leave the club on loan this summer might be seen as the club backing his talent and potential. If the midfielder is to move on, a loan might make sense, with Leeds kicking the need to make a definitive decision on him down the line.
It would give him the opportunity to get his career back on track at a top-flight club elsewhere in Europe, before returning to Leeds next summer with his market value intact. Depending on the division Leeds find themselves in next season, they could then decide to keep him and reap the benefits of a potential return to form, or sell him for a suitable price.
There’s no guarantee of things going that smoothly, of course, and much would depend on Aaronson’s performances away from Elland Road. Again, though, there’s an element of risk and if he were to take his poor form away with him on loan, that could severely impact his standing in the game.
Sell
If Aaronson’s reported relegation release clause is met this summer, the Whites might not have a choice in the matter. What it would take to trigger such a clause is unknown but it seems unlikely that Leeds would be in line to make a profit on him after splashing a reported £25m last summer to take him to West Yorkshire.
Leeds bought him as an investment and given his age, they would have hoped to see his price tag increase naturally over time due to his performances, before considering whether to part ways with him. But, relegation has hindered that plan and they would have to settle for a predetermined price, should an approach be made and Aaronson communicates his desire to call time on his spell at Elland Road.
Given the way he ended the campaign and the investment that must be made in the squad this summer, though, the club may look to favour a sale and put the resulting cash towards a fresh start under a new head coach.
