Tag: Brenden Aaronson

USMNT’s Aaronson scores equalizer at the death on Leeds return

It was a good afternoon for the USMNT attacker, but it could have been great

Brenden Aaronson returned to Leeds with a bang on Saturday — but the U.S international missed the chance to make it a truly special afternoon at Elland Road.

Aaronson scored a stoppage-time equalizer for Leeds against Portsmouth, netting in the 95th minute after coming on in the second half of his side’s Championship opener.

But just two minutes later, Aaronson missed the chance to complete his brace and seal a Leeds win by firing wide when in alone on goal.

Aaronson is back at Leeds after spending last season on loan with Union Berlin in the Bundesliga.

The 23-year-old had a difficult debut campaign at Elland Road in 2022-23, fading in the second half of the season as the club was relegated from the Premier League.

On Saturday, it looked like Leeds would suffer a demoralizing home loss to kick off the season after Callum Lang’s 93rd-minute penalty put Portsmouth ahead.

But Aaronson responded minutes later, carving out space for himself inside the box before firing home into the bottom corner.

Watch Aaronson’s goal vs. Portsmouth

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Brenden Aaronson confirms Leeds return: ‘I had unfinished business’

Aaronson says he’s heading back to Leeds after encouraging discussions with manager Daniel Farke

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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Amid club uncertainty, Brenden Aaronson ‘not thinking about anything’ beyond USMNT

Aaronson may have a lot on his plate this summer, but he says he’s fully focused on the USMNT

It will be a busy summer for the U.S. men’s national team, but few players have more on their plate than Brenden Aaronson.

The U.S. men’s national team midfielder had at one point lost his place in Gregg Berhalter’s roster, but is back with the group assembled for friendlies against Colombia (June 8 in Landover, Md.) and Brazil (June 12 in Orlando).

With the Copa América rapidly approaching, it’s a big moment for Aaronson to make sure he seals a place on the USMNT’s final 26-player roster.

However, the New Jersey native has a potentially complicated summer ahead of him in terms of his club situation. Aaronson spent the season on loan with Union Berlin, experiencing the highs and lows of a campaign that ended with a narrow final-day escape from the threat of relegation.

That survival does not appear to mean that Aaronson will be returning to the German capital. The 23-year-old is under contract with Leeds, who missed out on a return to the Premier League after falling to Southampton in the Championship’s promotion playoff final.

With the caliber of league and financial concerns involved, it figures to be a convoluted offseason for Aaronson, with Union confirming that he will return to England.

Beyond that, clarity will have to wait. For his part, Aaronson said on Friday that the USMNT will get his full focus in the meantime.

“I’m just kind of focused on the national team and having my full responsibility here. I’m not thinking about anything else, and that’s where my headspace is,” Aaronson told reporters. “I really enjoyed the end part of the season with Union, even though it was a bit of a relegation battle towards the end, but I got to play the last 10 games, that was really great for my development and for me.”

Aaronson: End of Union Berlin season ‘crazy’

Aaronson may not be sure where his next step is at the club level, but he did reiterate that that the late-season pressure-cooker with Union Berlin — while stressful — was a boost for his career.

It was also, in his own words, “crazy.” A last-gasp Janik Haberer goal following a saved penalty kick gave Union a 2-1 win over SC Freiburg on the final day of the Bundesliga season. The three points pulled Die Eisernen level with VfL Bochum, with the latter ending up in the playoff thanks to Union’s superior goal difference.

“I’m sure a lot of people were paying attention to the table,” said Aaronson, giving his first-hand account of a wild sequence of events. “My parents were telling me that the live updates [had] every team just like, going up and down in moments. It was crazy.”

Aaronson got the assist on Union’s opener on the day, and was substituted in the 80th minute. The USMNT man admitted he let his hopes start to build, only for late drama to see both teams exchange goals.

“When I came off, it was 1-0. And so it was like, I thought it was pretty comfortable in that moment. But then of course, it’s never comfortable,” explained Aaronson with a laugh. “[Freiburg] come down, they score and a lot of emotions came out of me. I don’t know what I was probably saying to the ref.

“But yeah, after that we scored the crazy — you know, [Noah Atubolu] saves the PK, comes right to [Janik Haberer] on top of the box and we score. It was a crazy way to end the season, but it was an amazing way, and it felt really good. It felt like, yeah, just the whole weight off your shoulders.”

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Brenden Aaronson won’t return to Union Berlin after loan ends

The 23-year-old will return to Leeds facing an uncertain future

Brenden Aaronson’s time with Union Berlin has come to an end.

The German side announced on Monday that Aaronson is returning to Leeds, following the conclusion of his season-long loan.

Aaronson’s final appearance for Union Berlin came on Saturday, as he notched a vital assist in a 2-1 win over Freiburg that confirmed the club’s Bundesliga status on the season’s final day.

The U.S. national team attacker had a difficult spell with Die Eisernen, particularly in the first half of the season when he didn’t record a single goal contribution.

Aaronson was improved in the back end of the campaign, starting more frequently down the stretch and ending the season with two goals and two assists.

In a club statement, Union Berlin said Aaronson won “the hearts of Union fans with his dashing style of play, his speed and, not to forget, his decisive goal against Hoffenheim.

“After 38 appearances, two goals and two assists, his time in Berlin has come to an end and he is returning to England.”

The 23-year-old said last month that he would be open to a permanent move to Union Berlin, but that was always going to be a difficult financial commitment for the German club to make.

Aaronson returns to Leeds facing an uncertain future. The club is in the Championship playoff final this weekend but regardless of the outcome, the USMNT attacker may not be in the team’s plans.

Football Insider reported last week that Leeds has decided to sell Aaronson in the summer, and will look to recoup £12 million of its initial £25m investment in the New Jersey native.

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USMNT attacker Aaronson open to permanent Union Berlin stay

The 23-year-old’s loan from Leeds expires at the end of the season

Brenden Aaronson has said he could see himself staying at Union Berlin for the long term.

The U.S. national team attacker is currently on a season-long loan from Leeds, with his future at the end of the season unclear.

Aaronson played just one season at Leeds before moving to Germany on loan, following the club’s relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season.

The 23-year-old has struggled to find minutes for much of the season at Union, but has recently started to find his footing. Aaronson has started three straight matches and has scored two goals in the past seven, following a period of a year and a half without a club goal.

As his loan winds down to its final two months, Aaronson told Get German Football News that he is open staying at Union.

“I can see myself remaining here,” Aaronson said.

“The club is amazing. it’s not up to me at the end of the day but I have so much respect for Union, the way it has been built, the staff, it’s an amazing family club and they’ve done an amazing job.

“For me, it’s (about) making the right decision in the summer, evaluating the year and going from there. Staying is an option but I can’t say much more.”

Aaronson said he’s also been keeping a close eye on his parent club, which is in third place in the Championship as it eyes an immediate promotion back to the Premier League.

“I’ve been paying close attention to Leeds, I know a lot of the guys, I get on with a lot of them, they are good guys,” he added.

“I’ve been paying attention because they’ve been having a fantastic season so it’s been great to watch.

“They just need to keep pushing because they’ve got good things coming their way at the end of the season.”

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USMNT calls Aaronson, Wright up for Nations League as injury replacements

Snubbed no more, Aaronson and Wright will get their shot at the Nations League

The U.S. men’s national team has had to make a pair of changes, with Gregg Berhalter adding Brenden Aaronson and Haji Wright to his squad for the Concacaf Nations League.

The duo will join up with the USMNT after Luca de la Torre and Josh Sargent had to withdraw from the team with injuries ahead of Thursday’s semifinal against Jamaica in Arlington, Texas.

De la Torre was forced to withdraw with what U.S. Soccer called a quadriceps strain, while Sargent — whose superb recent form earned him his first call-up since 2022 — will miss out due to ankle irritation.

The recall comes at a critical time for Aaronson. The New Jersey native said he is enduring “the toughest year of my life” on Saturday, shortly after what was arguably his best single-game performance with Union Berlin. Aaronson scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over Werder Bremen, just two minutes after notching his first assist of the year.

Wright, meanwhile, is flying high. The USMNT recall comes a day after the Coventry City striker notched a stunning stoppage-time winner to send the Sky Blues through to the FA Cup semifinals. The Californian has eight goals in Coventry’s last 10 matches.

Despite the injury news, Berhalter had a series of options to sort through, particularly in replacing Sargent. Brandon Vazquez has been thriving since completing a winter transfer to Monterrey, while Jordan Pefok has started 10 straight for Borussia Mönchengladbach. If a wide attacker had been preferred, the list of players vying for a spot would have to include Kevin Paredes, Cade Cowell, Alex Zendejas, and Griffin Yow.

If Berhalter had concerns about the balance of his squad going too attack-heavy, Gianluca Busio, and Aidan Morris could have all been in the mix as well. Another option, Lennard Maloney, remains out for Heidenheim with a knock.

Updated USMNT Nations League finals roster

Goalkeepers (3): 22-Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), 18-Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City; 9/0), 1-Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest; 37/0)

Defenders (8): 2-Sergino Dest (PSV; 32/2), 23-Kristoffer Lund (Palermo; 3/0), 16-Mark McKenzie (Genk; 13/0), 13-Tim Ream (Fulham; 55/1), 3-Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; 14/1), 5-Antonee Robinson (Fulham; 39/4), 12-Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 28/3), 19-Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach; 8/0)

Midfielders (5): 4-Tyler Adams (Bournemouth; 36/1), 15-Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; 9/0), 8-Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 49/11), 6-Yunus Musah (AC Milan; 33/0), 7-Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest; 24/7)

Forwards (7): 11-Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin/GER; 38/8), 20-Folarin Balogun (Monaco; 8/3), 17-Malik Tillman (PSV; 8/0), 9-Ricardo Pepi (PSV; 22/10), 10-Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; 64/28), 21-Tim Weah (Juventus; 35/5), 14-Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 7/2)

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Brenden Aaronson: It’s been the toughest year of my life

Aaronson was reflective after a man-of-the-match performance for Union Berlin

Brenden Aaronson turned in a man-of-the-match display for Union Berlin on Saturday but after the game, his mood was more reflective than ecstatic.

Aaronson was hugely influential in his side’s 2-1 win over Werder Bremen, playing a big role in Yorbe Vertessen’s opener before scoring himself just two minutes later.

The 23-year-old’s performance came on the heels of a major blow. Just days earlier, Gregg Berhalter omitted Aaronson from the U.S. men’s national team roster for this month’s Nations League finals. On Sunday, Berhalter would end up recalling the Union Berlin man after injuries to Luca de la Torre and Josh Sargent.

Aaronson has struggled to assert himself at the club level for some time. After a hot start with Leeds last season, his form fell off in the second half of the campaign. The attacker was loaned out to Union for the 2023-24 season after Leeds was relegated, but has found life in the Bundesliga difficult as well.

Saturday’s goal was just the second of the season for Aaronson, who has started only eight of his 30 total appearances for Union. After one of his best performances in some time, the New Jersey native admitted that things haven’t been easy for him of late.

“It’s been the toughest year of my life,” Aaronson told reporters. “Going from Leeds and then not playing much here, it’s mentally a battle all the time, staying confident.”

Even amid a downturn in form at the club level, Aaronson had been consistently called into the USMNT before last week’s roster was released. Berhalter said he called the attacker after leaving him out of the squad, offering some words of encouragement.

“The message for him was, ‘I know this hurts. I know it’s a setback, but use it,” the coach said. “Use it to make you stronger, and to keep going and to keep fighting your way through through the obstacles that you have to overcome right now.’ It was a good conversation.”

Aaronson has now scored two goals in his last five games, as he continues to find more freedom under coach Nenad Bjelica.

“The opponent put a lot of pressure on our sixes with their sixes,” Bjelica said after the game on Saturday. “This left Brenden free in some situations. With Brenden and Yorbe, we wanted to field players who could do something in the smallest of spaces.”

Aaronson added: “I felt very comfortable in this position between the lines. It was about finding the free spaces. It just felt really good to me.”

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USMNT players in UEFA Champions League 2023-24

11 U.S. players are in the world’s biggest club competition

There was once a time where a U.S. men’s national team player being on a Champions League squad list — even if they might have no shot at playing in any actual games — was a very big deal.

It’s safe to say those days are gone, with no fewer than 11 U.S. players on the books for clubs that qualified for this year’s competition.

Sure, in some cases the player in question is probably a major longshot to even dress on gameday, but between Christian Pulisic’s sublime start to life at AC Milan and a USMNT trio at PSV, USMNT fans are likely going to be watching games on multiple screens just to keep up.

Here is the complete list of U.S. men’s players to make it to this year’s Champions League proper:

USMNT transfer rater: Grading every player’s move this summer

It’s a big summer for the USMNT, with a majority of its key players looking for new clubs

It’s a big summer for the U.S. men’s national team.

We aren’t talking about the Nations League or the Gold Cup here, though those are clearly significant in their own right. Instead, we’re talking about the summer transfer window, which promises to be one of the more active ones in recent memory for the USMNT.

Nearly all of the team’s top players have the potential to change clubs in the summer of 2023. With three years to go until a World Cup on home soil, the decisions USMNT players make this summer could determine their trajectory ahead of 2026.

With that in mind, we are tracking and rating all of the most significant completed moves for USMNT players this summer.

The Americans Abroad Five: Pulisic takes Serie A by storm

It’s early, but €20 million is looking like a real bargain for the USMNT star

It’s extremely early, but some Chelsea fans are already starting to have some regrets over letting Christian Pulisic go.

You can’t totally blame them. Though it is, once again, very early, you can’t really do better than Pulisic’s start at AC Milan: two games, two star performances, two goals and two wins.

At €20 million, Pulisic is certainly looking like a true bargain in a market where, to pick one completely random example, a club in west London paid €100 million for an unproven winger from the Ukrainian league.

As Milan captain Davide Calabria put it: “This is the best environment for him — the squad, the fans and this stadium — in order to to steal the limelight again.”

So far, it’s hard to argue with Calabria. Let’s get to the Five.