---
title: "Leeds: Journalist shares details on another failed midfielder bid"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/lewis-obrien-leeds-missed-opportunity-transfers/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Henry Jackson"
section: "Leeds United"
published: "2022-02-15T20:40:53Z"
modified: "2022-02-15T20:40:53Z"
---

# Leeds: Journalist shares details on another failed midfielder bid

**Leeds United failed to sign Brenden Aaronson in January despite [two bids](https://theathletic.com/news/leeds-to-raise-offer-for-salzburg-forward-aaronson-to-20-million/K6hmO4ltnkGO/), and journalist David Anderson has dropped some news on another midfielder move – the failed £13m swoop for Lewis O’Brien.**

### The Lowdown: O’Brien links

Few players have been linked with joining the Whites more intensely than O’Brien in the last year, but for now he has stayed put at Huddersfield Town.

The 23-year-old has [long been considered](https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leeds-united-lewis-obrien-huddersfield-21529359) a key target for Marcelo Bielsa, with the Leeds manager personally an [admirer](https://www.givemesport.com/1805140-leeds-transfer-news-23-yo-summer-target-definitely-still-on-marcelo-bielsas-list) of the midfielder, who has been [hailed](https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/lewis-obrien-is-a-very-special-talent-insists-huddersfield-town-head-coach-carlos-corberan-3486023) as ‘very special’ by Huddersfield boss Carlos Corberan.

O’Brien has chipped in with [two goals and two assists](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/366083/Show/Lewis-O-Brien) in 30 Championship appearances this season, helping the Terriers to sit [fifth](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/championship/table) in the table and launch a promotion push.

\[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″\]

### The Latest: Only a ‘little’ more

Phil Hodgkinson, chairman at The John Smith’s Stadium, had already [revealed](https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/phil-hodgkinson-issues-defiant-message-21529826) that Andrea Radrizzani and co tried and failed with a £13m offer.

Speaking to [GiveMeSport](https://www.givemesport.com/87972561-leeds-could-have-got-long-term-bielsa-target-lewis-obrien), Anderson has now added more news, revealing that Leeds had a great opportunity to sign the ‘[long-term Bielsa target](https://www.givemesport.com/87972561-leeds-could-have-got-long-term-bielsa-target-lewis-obrien)‘ but Radrizzani simply needed to stump up a ‘little’ bit more cash.

He said: “It was a strange one at the time because Leeds could have got him if they had have offered that little bit more.”

[Latest Leeds United news!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-33/)

### The Verdict: Another failure

The Whites have more recently failed with bids for another midfielder, RB Salzburg’s Aaronson. On that occasion, they actually did raise their offer, to [£20m](https://theathletic.com/news/leeds-to-raise-offer-for-salzburg-forward-aaronson-to-20-million/K6hmO4ltnkGO/), but once again it wasn’t enough – Bielsa has to be getting frustrated.

O’Brien may not be a household name, having [never played at](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/lewis-obrien/detaillierteleistungsdaten/spieler/560694) a higher level than the Championship, but the aforementioned praise from Corberan indicates what a talented footballer he is, while his [30 league starts](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/366083/Show/Lewis-O-Brien) in their promotion push shows just how much he is valued by the former Leeds coach.

He looks tailor-made to thrive in this Leeds team, with his energy and ability quite appealing to Bielsa’s [high-intensity style](https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/x-quotes-on-marcelo-bielsas-infamous-training-regime/), having averaged [2.5 tackles](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/366083/Show/Lewis-O-Brien) per game in the league this season – only [Stuart Dallas (2.7)](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/19/Show/England-Leeds) has averaged more for the Whites.

If the Terriers earn promotion, Leeds may have missed their chance for good.

***In other news, one rumoured Leeds target reportedly wants a Premier League move. Find out who it is [here](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-united-transfer-rumours/brenden-aaronson-wants-premier-league-move/).***