What Rasmus Kristensen would bring to Leeds United as Whites eye double swoop - YEP 4/6/22
“He has a very strong offensive drive."
By Lee Sobot
“Marches up and down the line and is also a goal threat.”
RB Salzburg boss Matthias Jaissle has previously been
effusive in his praise for Leeds United right-back target Rasmus Kristensen.
Time will ultimately tell, but there is no denying the
attractive credentials of the Dane who also offers versatility, familiarity and
experience both internationally and in the Champions League.
Leeds are looking to sign 24-year-old Danish international
defender Kristensen in a deal worth around £10m to complete a rapid double raid
on Austrian champions Salzburg this summer.
The Whites completed the deal to sign Kristensen’s former
team-mate Brenden Aaronson last week in a move worth around £25m that is
pending the usual international clearance and will become official on July 1.
And by then Aaronson and Kristensen could be team-mates once
again having already spent a year and a half together at Salzburg, including a
complete season under Whites boss Marsch.
Kristensen and Marsch arrived at Salzburg during the same
summer, Kristensen joining the club from Ajax in July 2019 for around 5 million
euros, one month after the appointment of Marsch as head coach.
Back then, Salzburg were signing a 22-year-old defender who
had been a regular for Denmark’s under-21s having amassed 109 appearances for
first club FC Midtjylland and Ajax.
The Dane joined Ajax on a four-year deal in January 2018 and
bagged himself eight Eredivisie outings during the second half of the campaign
including five starts.
Nineteen more outings presented themselves the following
season, including outings off the bench in the Champions League qualifier at
home to Standard Liege and Champions League Group stage clash away at AEK
Athens.
Then came the move to Salzburg, upon which Kristensen has
not looked back, so much so that a raft of clubs including West Ham United and
Brentford have been linked with attempted swoops for his services.
His three years at Salzburg including one without Marsch
have featured 107 outings, 13 goals and 19 assists, the defender now having 20
Champions League appearances under his belt in addition to five senior caps for
his country, including an impressive display in Friday night's 2-1 victory
against France.
The second half of Kristensen’s first season at Salzburg was
disrupted by injury but the campaign still presented 12 league outings and
another six appearances in the Champions League Group Stages, including starts
against Liverpool and Napoli home and away.
More of the same was in store the following season which
featured five more Champions League Group stage outings including starts home
and away against Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Aaronson joined the club halfway through the campaign after
leaving Philadelphia Union and the duo soon became established team-mates,
Kristensen lining up at right-back and Aaronson in the middle of the park.
The season featured a significant increase in Kristensen’s
goal contributions as he netted four times in league and cup whilst also
amassing nine assists.
Boss Marsch then moved on to RB Leipzig in the summer but
Kristensen and Aaronson then had the whole of the 2021-22 season together at
Salzburg as Kristensen bagged another eight Champions League outings as
Salzburg reached the knockout stages where they bowed out to Bayern Munich.
Getting himself forward from right-back, the goals and
assists started to flow for Kristensen who netted 10 times in Austrian league
and cup plus adding eight assists.
The defender also began to wear the captain’s armband and
Salzburg boss Jaissle was full of praise for his Danish ace.
“He is an absolute leader on the pitch. His emotions push
the whole team,” he said.
Based on a career that is undoubtedly following an upward
trajectory, Kristen might help offer the push that Leeds need at a time when
United’s main right-back options Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas are both out
injured.
If the Whites can land their man, Kristensen has the credentials
to be a more than able replacement and the Dane has also filled other
positions, on the right of midfield and on the opposite flank as well as a CDM.
