Two players Lennon wanted at Celtic could now move to England for £36m

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Leeds United can probably consider themselves a little unfortunate. 

After all, Red Bull Salzburg have never shied away from selling a star player in January before. Dominik Szoboszlai joined sister club Leipzig two weeks before the winter window even opened in 2020. 

11 months earlier, Erling Haaland, Takumi Minamino and Marin Pongracic were flying off the shelves, packaged up and sold on for profit after dropping off one of football’s most prolific production lines. 

So Victor Orta and co must have felt that that they had a pretty good chance when they came calling for Brenden Aaronson. According to The Athletic, Leeds submitted a £15 million bid for the talented, technically-gifted USA international on January 19^th. 

The difference this time, however, is that Salzburg have a Champions League knockout tie with none other than Bayern Munich to prepare for. They finished second in the group stages, becoming the first ever Austrian team to grace the second-round. 

And they are determined to make the most of this most rare of opportunities.

Yes, Salzburg’s chances – up against a footballing machine as ruthless and efficient as Bayern – are slim. Progression is improbable, yes, but not impossible. Keeping Aaronson, their influential attacking midfielder, is a must if Salzburg are to upset the European applecart. 

Is Brenden Aaronson bound for Leeds?

But even if Matthias Jaissle’s side stand firm between now and February 1, Aaronson will be on his way eventually. That’s just the way of the world in Salzburg.

Marcelo Bielsa sticks to his top targets like a limpet to a rock. And, if it takes Leeds months to secure Aaronson’s £20 million-rated signature, then so be it. 

Newcastle United, meanwhile, are showing similar resilience in their ongoing pursuit of Mitchell Bakker, the £16 million Bayer Leverkusen left-back (Mail).

And if, as expected, Aaronson and Bakker end up in England in either this window or the next one, there is one club north of the border who may be watching through their fingers, a look of regret etched across their face.

According to The Scotsman, Neil Lennon wanted Bakker at Celtic in the summer of 2020. That was, however, until a loan bid for the then-PSG youngster went down like the proverbial lead balloon.

The Hoops also tried to sign Aaronson when he was strutting his stuff acorss the Atlantic, his eye for goal and ethereal movement sparking comparisons with Kai Havertz (MLS Soccer).

Celtic’s recruitment record during Lennon’s ill-fated second spell certainly leaves a lot to be desired. The likes of Vasilis Barkas, Albian Ajeti, Patryk Klimala, Ismaila Soro and Shane Duffy fell mightily short of expectations. 

But as far as Bakker and Aaronson are concerned, it’s those Celtic didn’t sign – rather than those they did –  that may have Lennon wish he could, in the words of Cher, ‘Turn back Time’.