Leeds United are on the hunt for a playmaker this summer, with Brenden Aaronson’s struggles apparent last season in the Championship.
It’s fair to say that Brenden Aaronson has been a frustration to fans over the course of last season. Now, Leeds United are eyeing an upgrade even if the midfielder has been in better form of late, with Aaronson starring for USMNT in recent games.
Aaronson believes his Leeds future is clear, but clearer still is Leeds’ need for a higher quality player in the attacking midfield role, with a true playmaker capable of threading the needle with passes now required.
Numerous players could easily replace Aaronson and those include James McAtee, who is an upgrade on Aaronson in that role, but we have someone else in mind who could be a bargain for the Whites.
SC Freiburg midfielder Ritsu Doan
Photo by Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images
Leeds should make a move for SC Freiburg midfielder Ritsu Doan
Tanaka is a Japanese international with Ritsu Doan, who plies his trade in Germany with SC Freiburg. However, while Tanaka is steady, Doan is one of Japan’s stars.
Doan can operate as a right-sided playmaker or in more of a central role. Alongside Kaoru Mitoma and Takefusa Kubo, Doan is one of the best players in this exciting Asian side, and he would be perfect for Leeds.
Given his versatility and quality, Doan would be an automatic upgrade on Aaronson and someone they could utilise in different systems and formations easily as well.
Daniel Farke has already made use of the German market in his time with Leeds, and there are more players from the Bundesliga who are being linked with a switch to Leeds this summer as well.
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Doan’s playmaking and dribbling abilities set him apart from most attackers in the German top flight, and Leeds need attacking differentials of his nature in order to survive. He is a clutch player in terms of his output in big moments of games.
Team Appearances Goals Assists
Gamba Osaka 25 4 1
FC Groningen 66 16 7
PSV Eindhoven 64 13 6
Arminia Bielefeld 35 5 3
SC Freiburg 123 26 23
Japan 57 10 9
Ritsu Doan’s career stats so far (all comps)
Having just enjoyed the best season of his career, Doan’s stock is at an all-time high. He scored or assisted 19 goals in 36 games in all competitions, having managed at least 12 in each of his other seasons with Freiburg to date.
He even overlapped briefly with Gabriel Gudmundsson for Groningen. However, with two years left on his deal at Freiburg, Doan could leave the club this summer for a fresh opportunity. The problem is that other clubs are also keen on the 27-year-old.
Ritsu Doan and Anton Stach
Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images
Leeds should be keen with Doan’s price tag just £17.2 million
Doan is at the peak of his powers and one of the best attackers outside of the five most dominant sides of recent years in German football: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, and Eintracht Frankfurt.
The latter and Dortmund are two of the teams most interested, per Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany. Nothing has materialised yet, but this has been the case for months. His update on Twitter/X below is from May.
🚨⚫️🟡 Borussia Dortmund have entered the race for Ritsu #Doan!
Eintracht Frankfurt are still very keen on him and plan to begin negotiations next week. With #BVB now in the picture, #SGE face strong competition.
The 26-y/o Japanese winger is ready for a transfer. Freiburg boss… pic.twitter.com/GVLVF75l2v
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) May 13, 2025
View Tweet
Crucially, it tells Leeds that Freiburg haven’t set an astronomical asking price. Doan is available for around €20 million or £17.2 million this summer. That could be a bargain to displace Aaronson from a creative role in the side.
Of course, Leeds need to ensure their team next season has enough intensity and intelligence off the ball as well next season. That is another area of Doan’s game that isn’t lacking.