Leeds United remain relegated in the Premier League.
A second successive league defeat has given Daniel Farke’s Whites a temporary setback, but West Yorkshire Giants remain three points clear of the relegation zone with nine games remaining in a thrilling top-flight campaign.
Leeds’ comfortable 3-0 win over Norwich City in the FA Cup will be expected to reflect on their form in the league as manager Farke and his team prepare for a big Premier League double-header that concludes with Crystal Palace and Brentford in March.
Falke will also be hoping that Brenden Aaronson can get his relegation-threatened side back to their healthy best for the important games ahead. The American midfielder has played hot and cold all season, to the delight and anger of the Elland Road public.
Aaronson’s indifference towards Leeds
Aaronson will be held to a consistently high standard from the moment he signed for Leeds in 2022 for a near-club record fee of £28.5m.
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That hefty price tag was often his undoing at Elland Road, with his debut season in the Premier League being a notable low point during an eventful stay in West Yorkshire.
Aaronson only made a satisfactory contribution with four goals in 38 league games, meaning the 2022/23 season ended with Leeds being relegated.
He was even accused of being “too light” by former Leeds player John Newsome. Because the decision to bring him into the building for such a large amount of money was one that was immediately filled with regret.
Thankfully, he has since turned this dire situation around, winning a spirited 4.5 duels per game this season and finally getting used to the rough waters of a demanding division. To put this into context, Joe Rodon, known as a defensively tough fighter, is only winning 4.2 games per fight.
Furthermore, with seven Premier League goals this season, Aaronson is starting to live up to his £28.5m fee.
The American is not without fault, however, and his lack of a goal or assist in a top-flight game since the start of January means his value has fallen to an even more modest £15.5 million, according to Transfermarkt.
Incredibly, one of Leeds’ new players, signed for just £10m in the summer, is now rated higher than the former RB Salzburg playmaker.
Bargain contract with Leeds now worth more than Aaronson
Leeds must be congratulated for an exceptional summer of business, concluding the deal before embarking on a Premier League challenge.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin joining Falke’s ranks would have been seen as a risk. The experienced striker was known more for his injury problems than for his goalscoring ability towards the end of his long stay at Everton.
Thankfully, he made waves in West Yorkshire with his goalscoring prowess, and his sublime 10 goals in the Premier League more than justified Leeds’ gamble on a free transfer.
But even he has suffered a lackluster form of late, while Gabriel Gudamundsson continues to shine for West Yorkshire no matter what.
Acquiring Gutmundsson’s services from Lille in the summer for £10m would have been considered modest business at the time, as the Swede was an unproven presence in the Premier League.
Now, the Scandinavian defender is fresh off a goal and an assist against Norwich and appears to have become one of Leeds’ shrewdest signings, after Calvert-Lewin, to send Falke’s side to their first FA Cup quarter-final clash since 2003.
He’s also been exemplary in the basics of top-notch action, with the tenacious number three never shying away from a tackle or challenge and has won 5.7 duels in the league this season, wiping the floor with both Aaronson and Rodon.
So it’s no great surprise that Gutmundsson’s valuation has soared to £17m, according to Transfermarkt. That’s a staggering £7m rise just nine months after his whirlwind Elland Road adventure.
Gudamundsson’s Leeds figures | |
|---|---|
status | Guðmundsson |
games played | 30 |
Play time (minutes) | 2531 minutes |
Value at the time of joining | £10 million |
Cherish the present | £17 million |
increase in value | 7 million pounds |
Gutmundsson, hailed as a “POTY candidate” by reporter Belen Klos as “one of the best defenders in the Premier League who beats opponents with his dribble”, will continue to pray for good times at his new club as he plays a key role in his survival and is hopefully sealed.
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