"Not contributing" - Leeds United urged to replace £25m import | OneFootball

FLW's Leeds United fan pundit believes that the club should make an upgrade on Brenden Aaronson.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Leeds United midfielder Brenden Aaronson is no longer providing the level of output that he was during the first half of the season.

The 24-year-old scored seven goals and provided two assists during the first half of the campaign, but he has only made one goal contribution so far in 2025, which was the opener during the 7-0 rout of Cardiff City at Elland Road last month.

Leeds are currently embroiled in a title race at the top of the Championship table and regardless of which division they find themselves in next season, there is a case to be made that they need a new attacking midfielder.

Leeds United urged to replace Brenden Aaronson

We asked our Leeds fan pundit, Ger Lynch, whether he thinks the club needs to make an upgrade on Brenden Aaronson with a new signing this summer.

"Do we need an upgrade on Brenden Aaronson? Yes, we do," Ger said.

"I like Brenden Aaronson's work rate. I think what he does off the ball with his pressing and his energy, all of that is really good. His ability to take the ball on the half-turn and open up some space is fantastic.

"The end product is not what it should be from him, and I think if Leeds do go into the Premier League then what they are seriously lacking in that number 10 position is a creative force. Someone who can spot a gap, find a pass, break down low blocks. When defences are sitting in and are pretty static, someone who can find a way of either getting through or scoring from distance.

"Leeds have not really had that since Pablo Hernandez left, and players like Pablo are not that common in the market, but if we do get promoted, I would say yeah, we do need an upgrade, especially from a creativity perspective,

"From a work rate perspective, Aaronson works his backside off, he does all the hard work, but from a creative perspective, it is the weakest part of his game and Leeds will need to look at that next season.

"I would hang on to Brenden, but very much as a backup player. I think, at the moment, he gets overplayed by Leeds anyway. When they had him in the Premier League, they played him for what seemed like every single minute that he was available and towards the back end of the season, his form dipped, and by the time he left, the fans were not happy with him.

"They were singing his name at the start of the season, and if you look at this season, he started it pretty well. He had seven goals and two assists before the turn of the year, but he has had nothing in 12 of his last 13 games, so that is where the criticism starts to come back in again.

"You can get away with not being creative as long as you are contributing a goal and an assist every other game, or every few games, but he is not contributing right now.

"As good as his pressing is, Leeds need someone in the number 10 role who can score goals, and right now that is not Aaronson.

"I would definitely keep him as a squad option next season because of what he can bring in terms of energy off the bench."

Brenden Aaronson has not lived up to his price tag

Leeds reportedly paid a fee in the region of £25 million to sign Aaronson from Red Bull Salzburg in 2022, and it would be fair to say that he has not quite lived up to that price-tag during his time at Elland Road so far.

He spent last season on loan in the Bundesliga with Union Berlin, and if Leeds do replace him this summer, it would not be a huge surprise if he departed once again, either on loan or permanently.