Leeds United know that there is plenty of work for them to do in the summer transfer window to build a squad that is capable of avoiding an instant relegation from the Premier League.
One player the Whites should be looking to replace as a starter, heading into the 2025/26 campaign, is attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson.
The USA international did not do enough in the Championship to suggest that he has the quality to make the step up to the top-flight as a regular starter next term, as evidenced by his form against the other five teams that finished in the top six.
Bristol City (A)
0
0
Burnley (H)
0
0
Sunderland (A)
0
0
Sheffield United (H)
0
0
Coventry (H)
0
0
Coventry (A)
0
0
Burnley (A)
0
0
Sunderland (H)
0
0
Sheffield United (A)
0
0
Bristol City (H)
0
0
As you can see in the table above, Aaronson did not deliver a single goal or assist against the top teams in ten appearances for the Whites.
The American flop also scored one goal in 36 games in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign for Leeds, and his form last term does not suggest that he is likely to fare much better.
Leeds are still looking for their next Pablo Hernandez
The last time the West Yorkshire outfit were promoted to the top-flight, Pablo Hernandez was the chief creator for Marcelo Bielsa, either playing as a number ten or as a winger on the right flank.
During the 2019/20 promotion-winning season, the Spanish playmaker produced nine goals and nine assists in 36 appearances in the second tier, helping the Whites on their way to the title with his ability to both score and assist goals at the top end of the pitch.
He also created 13 ‘big chances’ and delivered 2.3 key passes per game on average in the Championship, which shows that he was constantly looking to unlock opposition defences with his creative quality by creating chances at an exceptional rate.
That form came after the mercurial playmaker produced 12 goals and 12 assists, with 16 ‘big chances’ created, in 39 appearances in the Championship during Bielsa’s first season in charge at Elland Road. This shows that he consistently provided a big threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from an attacking midfield position.
Leeds are still looking for their next version of Hernandez. Some may point to Georginio Rutter, who delivered 15 league assists in the 2023/24 campaign, but the French attacker only scored seven goals, as he failed to consistently perform as a scoring threat.
Daniel Farke, however, could find the club’s new playmaking superstar by swooping to sign one of the stars of his Norwich City team in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Leeds eyeing move for Premier League star
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Leeds United remain interested in a deal to sign Aston Villa attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The reporter claims that the Championship champions are “still keen” on the Argentina international, following on from their interest in him at the start of the year.
Jacobs also notes that Sheffield United playmaker Gustavo Hamer is also a target for the Whites after the Blades lost to Sunderland in the play-off final at Wembley last weekend.
Leeds were reportedly interested in a deal to sign Buendia on loan from Aston Villa during the January transfer window, with an option or obligation to buy, but he ended up joining Bayer Leverkusen on loan for the second half of the season.
The Argentine ace, who worked with Farke at Norwich, has now returned to England after the conclusion of the Bundesliga season, and could be available to snap up this summer with an alleged valuation right now of £15m.
Why Leeds should sign Emi Buendia
The Whites should push to bring the Villans outcast to Elland Road this summer because he could be an upgrade on Aaronson as well as being the club’s new Hernandez.
Buendia missed the 2023/24 campaign with an ACL injury and struggled for game time, playing 89 minutes, in the Premier League in the first half of this season before his loan move to Leverkusen.
The 28-year-old magician showed signs of promise in his loan spell with Leverkusen, though, as he delivered two goals and two ‘big chances’ created in 11 appearances and three starts in the Bundesliga, scoring more than Aaronson did in an entire top-flight season for Leeds.
Buendia, who produced nine goals and eight assists in his first two Premier League seasons with Villa, appears to be on his way back to his best, and Farke could be the perfect coach for him to revive his career, given what they achieved together at Carrow Road.
Appearances
38
39
Goals
8
15
Big chances created
7
18
Key passes per game
2.4
3.1
Assists
12
16
As you can see in the table above, the Argentine ace was particularly effective in the 2020/21 campaign, so much so that journalist Connor Southwell described his form as “remarkable”.
The same reporter hailed Buendia as a “joy to watch” for the Canaries. That claim is backed up by both his statistics, with 31 goals and assists combined in that second Championship season, and his highlights from his time working with Farke.
As you can see in the clips above, the Leeds target was capable of the spectacular, as a scorer and a creator of goals, whilst playing for Farke as a right-sided attacker who drifted infield to impact games from a central position.
Like Hernandez, Buendia is equally capable of playing as a number ten or as an attacking midfielder on the right flank, drifting inside, and he could replace Aaronson as the central member of the front four.
Imagine him & Solomon: Leeds want to sign a star with over 300 PL appearances
Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a star who could be amazing for Manor Solomon.
ByDan EmeryMay 26, 2025
The Villa attacker is a proven Premier League performer, as shown by his aforementioned statistics in his first two years in the division with the Villans, who has also proven himself to be a superstar in a Farke team, which is why Leeds should sign him this summer.
