By Danny Mills

31st May, 2022 | 12:55pm

Marcelo Bielsa blocked Leeds United deal for Brenden Aaronson after it was 'done' - Mills

Marcelo Bielsa may have blocked Leeds United from signing Brenden Aaronson in January, according to Danny Mills.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Whites and England defender delivered his verdict after Aaronson finally completed a move to Elland Road.

Leeds confirmed last week (26 May) that the 21-year-old will join the club from Red Bull Salzburg on a five-year contract at the beginning of July.

The America international told ESPN on Monday (30 May) that his move to Leeds was dependent on them staying up on the final day and he described watching his new side’s 2-1 win over Brentford last week (22 May) as “awful”.

The Yorkshire giants needed to better Burnley’s result to maintain their Premier League status and they lost 2-1 to Newcastle United.

“I think that was one of the signings that was agreed in January,” Mills told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.

“Clearly, when you look back, Jesse Marsch was always going to be the man to come in and do that job. Off the back of that, he’s worked with Aaronson before and wanted him in as one of the signings.

“Bielsa said ‘no’. That was done in January, it was just a case of waiting for the new regime to be put in place and crack on with it.

“They’ve got some good young players, some good senior players but not very much in the middle. They have to address that situation.”

Marsch and Aaronson worked together at Red Bull Salzburg before the manager moved to RB Leipzig last summer (2021).

Aaronson scored five times and provided nine assists in 40 games across all competitions for the Austrian club last season.

In other news, Kieran Maguire has tipped Leeds United to ’emulate Liverpool’ this summer as 49ers news emerges.