Last summer, there were numerous players connected with a move to Elland Road during an extremely active season of moves both in and out of Leeds United.
While Ethan Ampadu and Joel Piroe joined Daniel Farke’s squad, there were plenty of players that didn’t end up wearing the white shirt this season, including then-Norwich City full-back Max Aarons.
The England youth international appeared to be poised to join the Elland Road ranks this summer, having agreed a £12 million deal with Norwich City, only for Bournemouth to swoop in at the last minute and grab his services [The Athletic, 9 August].
But it appears that the Whites have escaped a bullet as Aarons was listed in WhoScored.com’s worst Premier League signing XI, among the likes of Raul Jiminez and Kai Havertz.
The 23-year-old is the team’s lowest-rated player, with an average mark of 6.28 from seven appearances this season, following a series of poor performances, including a dismal afternoon against Arsenal in which he received a score of 5.04, the 11th-lowest of any player this season.
Bournemouth are still waiting for their first Premier League victory of the season after a rocky start under Andoni Iraola, but Aarons was dropped
Leeds United, on the other hand, have been thriving in the Championship, with the likes of Sam Byram, Luke Ayling, and even Archie Gray performing admirably at full-back to ensure that the majority of the Elland Road supporters will not regret missing out on Aarons.
In addition to Farke’s previously solid performances, the Whites have yet to see the best of summer recruit Djed Spence, who arrived on loan following Aarons’ decision to move to the south coast after suffering an early injury.
Spence’s recent success in England’s second division suggests that he could be a game changer for the Whites between now and the end of the season. If results continue in the same vein as they did at the start of the season, Bournemouth and Aarons could be swapping places with Farke’s team next season.
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