Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has had to deal with a lack of investment in his forward department following the club’s promotion to the Premier League last year.
In the three transfer windows since winning the Championship title, the Black and Whites have only signed one attacking player for a transfer fee, that being Noah Okafor from AC Milan for £18m.
The German head coach had to deal with free transfers such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lucas Nmecha while working with players coming from the championship.
One of the players to rise above the second tier and improve under the former Norwich City boss was US international Brenden Aaronson.
How Brenden Aaronson improved under Daniel Farke
The American midfielder has divided opinion over the inconsistency of his latest crop, but there’s no denying he’s better now than he was in his first stint in West Yorkshire.
Aaronson scored one goal and provided three assists in 36 Premier League appearances for Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce in the 2022/23 season before going on loan to Union Berlin the following season.
The 25-year-old striker then returned to play a key role in the title-winning campaign in the second tier, scoring nine goals in 47 appearances before becoming a regular in the top flight in recent times.
Aaronson (Premier League) | 22/23 | 25/26 |
|---|---|---|
Appearances | 36 | 37 |
xG | 3.86 | 4.55 |
Objectives | 1 | 4 |
Great chances were created | 5 | 9 |
helps | 3 | 5 |
Duel success rate | 40% | 40% |
Aaronson was more productive under Farken last season than in his first season in the Premier League, suggesting he has improved under the German.
As Jack Harrison was unsuccessful in his attempts to follow in Aaronson’s footsteps, not every player, like the USA national team, had a chance at comeback arcs.
How Brenden Aaronson ended Jack Harrison’s Leeds career
In the summer of 2025, after spending two seasons on top-flight loan at Everton, Harrison was given the chance to resurrect his career at Elland Road in the Premier League by Farke.
The England winger made 11 appearances in the division in the first half of last season, meaning he was given plenty of opportunities to impress, but he failed to provide any goals or assists in those matches.
Meanwhile, Aaronson, who moved into a wide role last term, has four goals and three assists through the end of January 2026, proving to be more valuable to the team than Harrison.
The winger’s inability to outperform Aaronson saw him loaned out to Fiorentina in January before being sold to New England Revolution in the summer transfer window, ending his career at Elland Road.
Leeds have found a new Jack Harrison
Now, the current first team squad for Leeds has another player who looks like the team’s new version of Harrison ahead of the upcoming January window.
Daniel James also came from the Championship and up to the Premier League with the Whites under Farke, but he has yet to prove he has the quality to be a reliable performer at the highest level.
Since the start of the 2025/26 season, the Wales international’s only goal has come in August’s League Cup victory over Nottingham Forest.
The 28-year-old striker is less effective and consistent than Aaronson in the final third for Leeds, as evidenced by his return of one goal and zero assists in 26 matches over the past 14 months.
Having struggled in front of goal since the start of last season, he has become an under-featured player in the Premier League, making just six appearances in the division in that time.
Dan James 26/27 in the Premier League | |
|---|---|
Opposition | Minutes |
Crystal palace | 23 |
Newcastle | 12 |
Brighton | 0 |
Brentford | 22 |
Nottingham Forest | 0 |
James is yet to start a Premier League match this campaign and has been an unused substitute in two of the club’s five games, with the other three coming off the bench.
The former Manchester United winger didn’t do enough in his cameos to suggest he deserved a starting spot on the other side of the break as he created no chances and failed to test the keeper with any of his six attempts at goal.
Aaronson may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but he is a useful squad player who has shown he can contribute at times in the Premier League.
However, James has yet to show that he can offer any value as an offensive threat, as Harrison was unable to do when given the chance last term, and so he should step up when the next job window opens.