This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has turned out since being signed/sold and using statistical figures and statements from key figures to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.
Leeds United lost a number of men in the summer, with Kemar Roofe departing for pastures new at RSC Anderlecht, Bailey Peacock-Farrell taking up a back-up role at Burnley, Pontus Jansson moving to Brentford, and Jack Clarke becoming a permanent player of Tottenham Hotspur.
All have seen their roles in Marcelo Bielsa’s plans replaced, with Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah, FC Lorient’s Illan Meslier and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Ben White brought in on loan, while Clarke may have returned on a temporary deal but faces competition from Jack Harrison, Helder Costa and Pablo Hernandez.
Aapo Halme’s decision to switch West Yorkshire for South Yorkshire after a year-and-a-half at Leeds is the summer exit that is already looking like no big loss for the Whites, though, as the rarely-seen defender has left much to the imagination during his first outings under Daniel Stendel.
The towering 6 ft 4 centre-half played just five senior games for the Elland Road natives following his arrival from HJK Helsinki, and has already represented the Tykes as many times, with his most recent outing for the Oakwell residents coming against United last Sunday (TransferMarkt).
The Finland U21 international’s Barnsley debut set the tone for his early days at his new side, with Halme handed his first start by Stendel at home to League Two side Carlisle United in the Carabao Cup, a game they would lose 3-0 – the Tykes’ first defeat at Oakwell since December 2018 across all competitions.
Carlisle’s progression to the Second Round of the EFL Cup was achieved in their first away win since January 26 across all competitions, too, and the first time the Cumbrians scored three on the road since December 2018, when they beat Crawley Town – a team who ended the league term with the fourth-worst defence.
Barnsley fans were up in arms at full-time lamenting Halme for his involvement in the result, with some Tykes supporters calling for the Helsinki-born centre-half to be sent back to Elland Road.
Send halme back to Leeds
— Harri Beaman (@BeamanHarri) August 13, 2019
Seven changes wasn’t a great team selection, lacked confidence and cohesion, only new player to give credit to was Brad Collins in goal… Halme had a mare
— Alan Smith (@AlSmith_tykemad) August 13, 2019
Collins provided us with the best entertainment I’m absolutely fuming that Halme got picked over Moon though. Especially after that performance
— (@caitlink019) August 13, 2019
Right Brad Collins is a baller
Aapo Halme should never play for this club again
Mcgeehan needs to get his act together
We have nothing going forward with Woodrow as he is lacking in everything— (@MagicMowatt27) August 13, 2019
Halme’s form has not improved much since being beaten at home by League Two opposition, either, with Barnsley yet to win a game when the Finland youth international has been involved in the action at any stage.
The 21-year-old only recorded his first tackle of the Championship season against Wigan Athletic, as well, with the Tykes’ trip to the Latics Halme’s third second-tier outing of the term, in a game he also recorded two fouls, per WhoScored.
Halme’s efforts against his now-former side Leeds the next time he took to the field in the Championship failed to see the 5-cap U21 international fare much better, either, with the Klubi 04 product recording three fouls, a 59.1% pass accuracy rating and was dispossessed once.
Leeds may have sold Halme for an undisclosed fee, allegedly £203,000 (TransferMarkt) – almost £300k less than the £500k (Yorkshire Evening Post) spent to buy him – but any funds received looks like profit for the Whites at this stage of the centre-back’s career.
Leeds fans, has your opinion of Halme shifted since his departure? Let us know in the comments below…
