Here are your Leeds United transfer rumours on Friday, February 4.
Salzburg director explains Aaronson decision
Brenden Aaronson was Leeds’ main target in the January transfer window but they were unable to agree a fee that Red Bull Salzburg deemed fair.
According to the Austrian champions’ sporting director, Christoph Freund, they weren’t willing to break up the squad ahead of their Champions League knockout tie with Bayern Munich.
It is the first time a side from the Austrian Bundesliga have reached the latter stages of Europe’s elite competition and they are hoping to continue their fairy tale campaign.
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Speaking to Salzburg24, Freund said: “It was a very quiet winter with the departures. That’s nice, for once.
“We have two difficult games ahead of Bayern. The big goal was to keep the team together.
“Because of this extraordinary autumn [in which Salzburg have gone 14 points clear at the top of the table], many boys want to continue to be here.
“We have created a very, very good basis in recent years through our successes and, above all, our transfer income.
“We are not under so much pressure [to sell].”
Money from shareholders needed to fund new signings
Compared to some of the other sides in the Premier League, Leeds have fairly modest financial resources which makes it hard to compete in the transfer market.
They have spent big since returning to the top flight but, in the last 12 months, investment in the playing staff has been relatively light.
The £25m signing of Dan James on Deadline Day in the summer came as a shock to many fans but, as per The Athletic, it was funded by money provided by club’s shareholders.
The Whites will hope to pay for Aaronson by similar means in the coming summer transfer window, if the young American midfielder is willing to make the move.
Even if Marcelo Bielsa chooses not to extend his Leeds contract, the club will still pursue a move for the 21-year-old as they are committed to maintaining the high-intensity pressing style in the future.
Agbonlahor makes Phillips admission after failed West Ham bid
West Ham made a couple of shock moves for Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips on Deadline Day which, at £50m for each, were well below of the mark as far as Leeds were concerned.
The two offers have been widely criticised, especially as they were placed at the 11 th hour of a transfer window in the middle of the season.
Gabby Agbonlahor was as unhappy as any Whites supporter by the bids with his frustration being aimed at the approach for Phillips in particular.
“Leeds are not going to negotiate on Phillips unless it is around £70million and then I think they’ll accept,” he told Football Insider.
“He’s a quality player with time on his side. West Ham are a million miles off it. They don’t even need Phillips, they’ve got Declan Rice.”
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