Leeds United just keep finding ways to grind out results in the Premier League.
Against Chelsea, Daniel Farke‘s Whites looked dead and buried when Liam Rosenior’s confident Blues raced into a 2-0 lead, but the visitors from West Yorkshire somehow managed to collect a 2-2 draw come the full-time whistle. They were a tad fortunate, however, that Cole Palmer forgot his second-half shooting boots…
Still, nothing should take away from Leeds’ shared grit and determination across recent matches, even if a little luck has been sprinkled in here and there, with Farke and Co. only losing one league match across their last five top-flight outings.
One major plus across their string of positive performances has been the resilient displays of Brenden Aaronson, who is now coming into his own at Elland Road, following a bumper £28.5m move from RB Salzburg.
Aaronson’s improved performances this season
That £28.5m price tag means Aaronson still remains as Leeds’ second most expensive signing of all time, sitting just behind Georginio Rutter.
At one point in his Whites career, it’s safe to say the American would have been dismissed as a colossal failure, with his debut season seeing him be branded as too “lightweight” for the Premier League by ex-Leeds player Jon Newsome, as relegation down to the Championship beckoned.
Now, he embodies the never-say-die attitude of Farke’s relentless side, as seen in this tenacious strike finding the back of the net against Manchester United, to kickstart the 25-year-old’s 2026 on the best possible footing.
In total, this season, he has four goals and three assists next to his name from 27 appearances, as the lively number 11 finally begins to live up to his £28.5m billing.
Noted as maintaining a “level head” and a desire to “keep fighting” when speaking to Sky Sports recently, Aaronson will continue to be crucial to Leeds’ survival battles going forward.
His value has taken somewhat of a hit, with his original fee perhaps overblown, but Football Transfers estimates that the New Jersey-born menace remains at a healthy £15.3m valuation, with other heroic individuals such as Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle coming in at lower price tags.
There is one first-team stalwart who has him beaten in these stakes, though, with this star solidifying himself as one of Farke’s regulars this season, for good reason.
The Leeds star who is now worth more than Aaronson
Leeds have struck gold on a number of their senior personnel now starring in the Premier League, with the aforementioned pairing of Rodon and Bogle now worth £12m and £12.5m respectively, having once cost just a combined £15m to get in through the door.
Ethan Ampadu is another who can fall under the bargain category, now, with the full-blooded Welshman worth every penny of his initial £7m fee, as Farke’s main reliable captain from the middle of the park.
While Ampadu has always been viewed as someone the German can rely upon, this has been raised a notch in the Premier League so far this season, with the former Chelsea man even scoring his first-ever league strike for the Whites this campaign, when putting the game beyond doubt against Crystal Palace in late December.
With five ball recoveries averaged per Premier League clash, too, alongside 4.9 duels being bravely won, Farke has gone as far as to label his midfield anchor as “one of the best” in his position in the entire league.
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Ampadu’s overall Leeds record |
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|---|---|
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Stat |
Ampadu |
|
Games played |
110 |
|
Minutes played |
9542 mins |
|
Goals scored |
3 |
|
Assists |
3 |
|
Promotions |
1x |
|
Value when joining |
£7m |
|
Value now |
£19.3m |
|
Sourced by Transfermarkt/Football Transfers |
|
Subsequently, off the back of these gladiator-like performances for his relegation-threatened outfit, Ampadu’s own transfer valuation has skyrocketed all the way up to £19.3m, which places the 59-time Wales international above Aaronson’s diminished value of £15.3m, despite once costing around £21m less than his American counterpart.
Removing all these values, though, it’s clear that both Ampadu and Aaronson will continue to be key components of Leeds’ survival charge, as a real team unity looks to guide Farke and Co. comfortably to safety.
At just 25 years of age, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Leeds’ trusty captain’s value go up even more, especially if the ecstasy of safety is realised.
Now worth more than Bogle: Leeds offloaded perfect player for Farke’s 3-5-2
Leeds United may have made a mistake in allowing one player to depart Elland Road.
