Brenden Aaronson removed any doubt about his future on Thursday, confirming that he would be returning to Leeds United after all.
In an interview with The Athletic, the U.S men’s national team midfielder said he had “unfinished business at Leeds,” and would return to the club for the upcoming season in the Championship.
Aaronson spent 2023-24 on loan in the Bundesliga with Union Berlin, but referred to a Leeds return as “a pretty easy decision” in the end.
“I know how big the club is, how much it means to people in the city,” added Aaronson. “Coming back, I’m going to do the best I can. All I want to do is bring Leeds back to the Premier League. I can’t wait to play at Elland Road in front of our fans again.”
Aaronson encouraged by Farke talks
In a press conference two weeks ago, Aaronson told reporters his focus would be strictly on the USMNT, but with a break between camps, that appears to have changed things.
Aaronson was sent on loan to Union not that long after Leeds suffered relegation in the 2022-23 season. Like the Berlin club — who struggled badly before recovering to preserve its place in the top flight down the stretch — the 23-year-old had a tough go of things at first, consistently making late-game cameos off the bench but rarely getting more time.
However, by season’s end Aaronson was a regular for Union, playing 45 or more minutes in each of the club’s final nine games of the campaign. In May, the German side ultimately confirmed that it would not pursue a permanent deal for the versatile midfielder.
In his prior season with Leeds, Aaronson amassed over 2,500 minutes played, though his place in the side eventually became less clear as a series of coaching changes didn’t pan out.
Current Leeds boss Daniel Farke, per Aaronson, reassured him about his place in the club’s plans.
“It was an awesome conversation,” said Aaronson. “The role he sees me playing, the games he watched of me, how I fit into the team, and, importantly, the things I can get better at.”
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