Leeds United's Brenden Aaronson transfer 'stance' shouldn't surprise but Whites face one key issue

Brenden Aaronson's days as a Leeds United player are numbered, it seems. According to Football Insider, Leeds have made the decision to put the American on their transfer list heading into the summer months in the hope of being able to offload him permanently.

It comes after what has been a difficult period for Aaronson with Union Berlin, where he has spent the season on loan from Elland Road. The attacking midfielder has struggled for traction in the Bundesliga and while he did bag his first goal for the club last month, it doesn't gloss over what has largely been a frustrating spell in the German capital.

Irrespective of his form, though, Leeds' decision cannot be deemed to be a surprise, should the reports be accurate, with Daniel Farke already setting something of a precedent for what awaits the handful of players currently out on loan. Speaking after seeing Bournemouth make Luis Sinisterra's season-long loan deal permanent, the Whites manager outlined his feelings about whether he would have been happy to welcome the winger back into camp.

"I'm always a bit careful once a player was here and wanted to go away then to bring him back in," Farke said. "It's a bit like - we have this [saying] in Germany - when you put the food into the microwave it never tastes that well like if it's freshly cooked.

"I think although he's a good player, he's a good character we wish him all the best, it's beneficial for us and definitely the right decision."

It's fair to assume Farke will have the same attitude when it comes the others out on loan at present and that includes Aaronson, who would be far from guaranteed a place in Farke's plans should he be given the opportunity to revive his career at Elland Road. The likes of Rasmus Kristensen, Jack Harrison, Max Wober, Marc Roca and Sam Greenwood can more than likely expect the same hard-line treatment, then, when their respective loans expire, even if the club win promotion back to the Premier League.

Aaronson joined United in the summer of 2022 with the club parting with a reported £24.7m in order to prise him away from Red Bull Salzburg. He made a decent start to his time in West Yorkshire, too, with his performances against Wolves and Chelsea earning him heaps of praise.

However, his form dipped somewhat dramatically as the campaign progressed and he struggled for confidence and traction as Jesse Marsch's side slipped towards the bottom three. As such, the American came in for criticism with his meek showings failing to inspire a turnaround.

Relegation brought an exodus of first-teamers last summer and Aaronson was one of the first to find an alternative option, leaving Leeds behind to join Champions League outfit Union in the hope of finding form once more. Unfortunately for the USA international, he has found the going tough in Berlin, racking up just seven starts for the club.

As such, it seems Aaronson will find himself looking for yet another club in the summer, but it's hard to see a way in which Leeds are able to recoup the money spent on him. The Whites may just find themselves forced into settling for a loss, then, should a permanent deal emerge.