Leeds United are heading towards the opening of the summer transfer window on Sunday, and are preparing to build a squad that can compete in the Premier League next term.
Daniel Farke’s side will be competing in the top-flight in the 2025/26 campaign after they won the Championship title with a staggering 100 points, beating Plymouth Argyle 2-1 away from home on the final day of the season to clinch the trophy.
The Whites are now tasked with preparing a group to battle against relegation from the top-flight at the first time of asking, which is going to be incredibly difficult when you consider recent history.
Southampton, Ipswich, and Leicester were all relegated from the Premier League this season, after Sheffield United, Burnley, and Luton all went down the season before, all six of whom had just been promoted from the Championship.
This illustrates the size of the task at hand for Farke and his players heading into the upcoming campaign, which is why this summer transfer window is particularly important.
Leeds needs to ensure that they have a team that is good enough to compete week-in-week-out in the top-flight, and that is why Brenden Aaronson’s future in the starting XI should be in doubt.
Why Brenden Aaronson must be replaced
The USA international started 43 of his 46 appearances in the Championship as a regular starter under Farke in the number ten position, but he has not done enough to suggest that the step up to the Premier League will suit him.
Aaronson ended the season with a return of nine goals and two assists in those 46 outings in the second tier, which was a decent, but unspectacular, haul for the attacking midfielder.
His finishing left a lot to be desired throughout the season for Leeds, with nine goals from 11.43 xG, and this does not suggest that he is ruthless enough in front of goal to be an effective operator at the top end of the pitch in the top-flight.
Aaronson, of course, played for the Whites in their last season in the Premier League, under Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce, and his lack of quality was on full display that year.
Appearances
36
xG
3.86
Goals
1
Key passes per game
1.3
Assists
3
Ground duel success rate
43%
Aerial duel success rate
17%
As you can see in the table above, the American flop was incredibly wasteful in front of goal, underperforming his xG by almost three goals, and was a liability out of possession, as opposition defenders dominated him in duels.
With this in mind, the former RB Salzburg star should not be guaranteed to keep his place as a starter when the Premier League season gets underway next season.
Instead, Leeds should attempt to replace him during the upcoming summer transfer window, which appears to be what they are aiming for with their latest target.
Leeds eyeing move for Championship star
According to Leeds United News, reporter Graeme Bailey claims that Leeds United are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign Jack Rudoni from Coventry City this summer.
The report claims that the Whites are keen on doing a deal for the English attacking midfielder in the coming weeks, as they eye up a move for the Championship sensation.
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It adds that the second tier champions are yet to make an enquiry about his availability, though, which suggests that any transfer is in the very early stages at this point.
Meanwhile, EFL Analysis claims that Sheffield United, Leicester City, and Southampton are also lining up moves for the Sky Blues attacking midfielder this summer, providing competition for his signature.
Leeds, though, could have an advantage over those three clubs because of their promotion to the Premier League, and they should use that to snap him up ahead of next season.
Why Leeds should sign Jack Rudoni
The Whites should swoop to sign Rudoni from the Championship side this summer because he could be way better than Aaronson for Farke in the top-flight.
Whilst the left-footed star is unproven in the Premier League, having yet to play there in his career, his performances in the Championship during the 2024/25 campaign suggest that he has more to offer to the team than the American lightweight does.
The former Huddersfield Town star, who was dubbed a “standout” by pundit Lee Hendrie, joined Coventry in the summer of 2024 and hit the ground running as an instant star for the club this term.
Rudoni only delivered five goals and three assists in 35 appearances for the Terriers in the 2023/24 Championship campaign, but the move to the Sky Blues helped to get the best out of him.
Appearances
43
46
xG
7.49
11.43
Goals
9
9
Big chances missed
6
11
Big chances created
16
9
Key passes per game
1.8
1.6
Assists
12
2
As you can see in the table above, the Coventry star delivered 21 goals and assists in 43 appearances for Frank Lampard’s side, ten more than Aaronson managed in three more appearances.
They scored the same number of goals, nine, but the EFL star managed that tally with an xG of just 7.49, which shows that he was far more efficient with the chances that came his way.
Rudoni, whose personality was described as “infectious” by Lampard, also created seven more ‘big chances’ and produced ten more assists, speaking to the kind of creative quality that he could provide Farke’s team with in the Premier League.
These statistics suggest that the Coventry magician could be way better than Aaronson for Leeds by coming in to deliver more quality as a finisher and a creator in an attacking midfield position.
This could give him a greater chance of being a success in the top-flight in comparison to the USA international, as he appears more likely to make an impact in the final third.
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It is now down to the club to win the race for his services in a battle with the likes of Southampton, Sheffield United, and Leicester this summer.