Brenden Aaronson has expanded the American contingent at Leeds United, as the USMNT attacker will officially join Jesse Marsch’s side when the summer transfer window opens.
Aaronson’s transfer, a $30 million move from Red Bull Salzburg, has long been rumored, but appeared to be contingent on Leeds surviving in the Premier League. With that issue settled in dramatic fashion, Aaronson and both clubs could proceed with the transfer.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be here at this historic club, I am really excited for the new season,” Aaronson said. “I think it was around Christmas or January that I could see there was some interest and hearing about Leeds United being interested, it was a huge moment for me and I was super excited.”
Aaronson has played for Marsch previously, as the two overlapped at Salzburg for half a season after the young attacker made the jump to Europe from the Philadelphia Union. “The way Jesse wants to play, I learned a lot about the system and flourished under that system, so I am really excited to get back into it again,” said Aaronson.
Leeds director of football Victor Orta called Aaronson “the perfect player fit for us,” adding that the club feels “he will improve the squad and we are really happy, it is very difficult to find a young player of this level, especially with Champions League experience.”
Speaking to the club’s site, Marsch praised Aaronson’s work rate, and said that he feels the 21-year-old New Jersey native “adapts very well to tactical ideas and levels of play and his mentality is to do whatever it takes to help the team succeed.”
It’s a big summer for a move for Aaronson, who is very much in the reckoning for a place in the USMNT World Cup squad later this year. Per FBref, Aaronson played more minutes (654) than any other forward for Gregg Berhalter, scoring twice and adding an assist in 11 total appearances.
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