Eintracht Frankfurt still has plans for U.S. men’s national team prospect Paxten Aaronson, but his next step appears to be another loan away from the Bundesliga outfit.
The 20-year-old spent the back half of the 2023-24 season on loan with Vitesse. According to Eintracht Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krösche, the club seems set to find a similar arrangement for next season.
“We will find a solution for Paxten Aaronson, which will probably involve loaning him out again,” Krösche said at a post-season press conference.
Aaronson’s loan to Vitesse was a success in some important ways for his development. The New Jersey native appeared seven times for Eintracht in Bundesliga play, but totaled just 95 minutes, starting just once. The club found him more playing time in the Europa Conference League, with Aaronson playing 188 minutes.
However, after agreeing to a loan just before the transfer window closed, Aaronson became nearly ever-present for Vitesse. Aaronson, who is considered highly likely to go to this summer’s Olympic games, started his new club’s final 14 league games, scoring four goals in the process.
Aaronson played 1,254 out of a possible 1,260 minutes during his time with the Arnhem-based side.
Despite that personal success for Aaronson, Vitesse is probably not the club Eintracht has in mind for his next loan. The Dutch federation hit the club with an 18-point penalty relating to its links to Roman Abramovich, the Russian oligarch who remains under international sanctions.
Vitesse would have eventually been relegated from the Eredivisie based on its point total, but the penalty guaranteed its place in the second tier next season.
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