Leeds United’s hopes of signing Brenden Aaronson could be dashed by RB Salzburg, who are keen to retain the midfielder in the January transfer window.
According to The Telegraph, Leeds United could be dealt a blow in their pursuit of American star Brenden Aaronson as RB Salzburg look keen to hold on to the midfielder in January.
This season, Leeds United have found themselves in a difficult position in the Premier League mostly due to the injuries to key players. They sit at the edge of the relegation zone in the 16th spot, with their rivals below them having games in hand, especially Burnley, who have played only 15 matches so far.
Given the number of injuries, Bielsa is resigned to reinforcing his squad during the upcoming transfer window. The main area of focus is central midfield, with Leeds keeping tabs on several players to be signed in January.
They have been linked with a few players, especially from the Championship and overseas, as Bielsa looks to bring in an ideal midfielder suited for his style of play at the club. One of those is Reading star John Swift, who is having a terrific season in the second tier of English football, although he might be an expensive option.
There have been links to Serie A with the club pondering the opportunity to bring back Ronaldo Vieira from Sampdoria. However, owing to his injury record in recent years, a transfer might seem unlikely. Furthermore, they were linked with a move for Nahitan Nandez of Cagliari, but there is plenty of competition from some bigger clubs.
The Whites were keen on American midfielder Brenden Aaronson, who plays for Austrian side RB Salzburg. The USMNT star has proved crucial to the club’s season so far, scoring three goals and providing seven assists in all competitions.
Salzburg have never been shy to sell their players at the right price, even in January. But the Austrian side have shown caution this time around owing to circumstances. The club consider their Champions League campaign key, and they do not want to lose an important player like Aaronson midway through the season.
The Austrians face Bayern Munich in their Round-of-16 clash and hope Aaronson makes an impression before they let him go in the summer. With a contract with Salzburg until 2025, they are not in a hurry to sanction a sale, as they could get the fair value for the 21-year-old after the season.
Leeds might have to look elsewhere to solve their problems in midfield, although they might yet tempt Salzburg with an attractive offer. It remains to be seen if the Austrian giants are adamant over their stance in case the Whites do make a sizeable offer in January. If rejected, Bielsa will have to look at alternatives to strengthen his squad in the next window.
