It looks as if Leeds United are set to endure something of a player exodus over the coming weeks, with the Yorkshire set to see a number of first-team assets move on elsewhere ahead of a return to life in the Championship.
Speculation is rife that Wilfried Gnonto could be on his way – amid notable interest from Aston Villa – while Robin Koch is in line for a loan move to Bundesliga side, Eintracht Frankfurt.
The 6 foot 4 centre-back may not be the only Leeds figure to seal a temporary switch to Germany this summer, however, with The Athletic reporting that Brenden Aaronson is set to join Union Berlin for the 2023/24 campaign.
That relatively swift, impending departure follows what was a rather disappointing debut season at Elland Road for the promising playmaker, with the 22-year-old scoring just once and providing only three assists in 36 Premier League games, having joined on a £27.4m deal from Red Bull Salzburg last summer.
As writer Zach Lowy stated, both Aaronson and ex-Salzburg teammate Rasmus Kristensen "failed to make the step up from the Austrian Bundesliga to the Premier League", with his average match rating of 6.51, as per Sofascore, having reportedly been the lowest in the entire division.
With a quick exit now on the cards, new boss Daniel Farke could look to acquire a much-needed upgrade on the American with the signing of Bayern Munich starlet, Malik Tillman, with Leeds Live suggesting that the 46-year-old could use his friendship with Thomas Tuchel in order to seal a move for the exciting 21-year-old.
As per the piece, it would be no surprise if Farke was to be 'keeping close tabs' on the German-born, United States international, with the young midfielder having blossomed on loan at Rangers last season, ensuring he could represent a dream replacement for Aaronson in that number ten berth.
How much will Malik Tillman cost?
The four-cap dynamo has been valued at around £10m by the Bundesliga giants following his breakout season in Glasgow, having proven himself to be a "phenomenal" talent, according to ex-Gers teammate, John Lundstram.
Unlike Aaronson's attacking woes, Tillman enjoyed a far more fruitful campaign in front of goal after contributing 12 goals and five assists in 43 games in all competitions, including registering 14 goals and assists in just 28 Scottish Premiership games.
Lauded as a "great player" with an "infectious" attitude by pundit Alex McLeish, the 6 foot 2 maestro certainly made his presence felt at Ibrox, having been named the SPFA Young Player of the Year last term.
The fleet-footed gem emerged as a real creative force in Michael Beale's side despite only contributing four assists in the league, having impressively created 12 big chances – seven more than Aaronson racked up in the Premier League.
A further benefit of Tillman's acquisition would also be his impressive work off the ball as the Nuremberg native also averaged two tackles per game in 2022/23, with the current Leeds man, by contrast, averaging just 1.3 per game in that regard.
Such a stark difference in fortunes between the two international colleagues would suggest that Farke can happily allow Aaronson to depart this summer, in the knowledge that he could potentially be able to snap up a suitable and exciting upgrade in that playmaking berth.