Leeds United’s ever-divisive Brenden Aaronson knows all too well the sting of being replaced by a younger, fresher, more exciting model.
Brenden Aaronson was left out of Mauricio Pochettino’s USA squad for March’s CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals. His replacement, meanwhile, was ironically a man who may yet take his place in the Leeds United starting XI as well at some point down the line.
It is no secret that Daniel Farke wanted a new number ten at Elland Road during the January transfer window. Four months on, and with promotion secured, a ‘jealous’ Farke could not help but air those grievances again even if the lack of winter signings mattered little, in the end.
Premier League football should, though, open Leeds up to a more expensive class of target.
Edouard Spertsyan is keen on playing top-flight football in West Yorkshire, despite ongoing links with European powerhouses Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. Pavel Sulc may have a choice between Leeds and Dortmund.
But as far as Diego Luna is concerned, rumours linking the reigning Major League Soccer Young Player of the Year with a summer switch to West Yorkshire can wait.
Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesDiego Luna reacts to Leeds United links as MLS star makes his plan clear
Luna has little interest speaking about hypotheticals with his Real Salt Lake side looking to bounce back from a run of six defeats in nine to start the 2025 MLS campaign.
“For me, it’s all just talk or whatever,” Luna responded when asked directly about Leeds’ reported interest this week. “I always tell my agents and people around me, you know, that I don’t want to hear anything about what’s going on unless I have to make a decision.
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“Unless it’s something that, you know, is right there at that moment that we have to look at deeply.
“I tell them to try and keep that stuff away from me because it’s all just talk.”
According to The Mirror, Leeds have ‘explored’ the potential of a deal for the crafty California-born 21-year-old.
While a central attacking midfielder by trade, Diego Luna also excels in a Manor Solomon-esque role drifting in off the left-hand side.
Luna hopes to kick on at Real Salt Lake amid flying start
Neither he nor the Real Salt Lake bosses appear in any rush to part ways, however. The MLS outfit are backing Diego Luna to take his game to another level in 2025, the four-time USA international tipped to take on a leadership role while improving on a tally of nine goals and eight assists from the previous campaign.
“For me, it’s just about chilling, playing soccer, and working hard to provide for my family. Whatever comes from performing, then we will talk about it,” Luna adds.
“I’m very young. For me, last season was just about scratching the surface of what I can do. I think we will see double-digit goals and assists this year.
“That’s the goal this year; To be better than last year.”
True to his word, Diego Luna is already a third of the way to matching his 2024 goals’ tally with only a few weeks of the new campaign gone. He took his tally to three in nine with a brace against LA Galaxy.
Luna’s first of the day saw him receive the ball in a packed penalty area, jink away from his marker and slot home. Moments later, he would pounce on an errant pass from an LA Galaxy defender to punch a quickfire second into the bottom corner.