Who is New Leeds Signing Brenden Aaronson

Overtime Heroics Editorial

366 days ago

Leeds United jumped into the transfer market early to secure the signing of United States international Brenden Aaronson. The player will join up with his Leeds teammates on the 1st of July after moving from Red Bull Salzburg for a fee reported to be around £22 million. Leeds United was noticeably quiet in the transfer market last season and was almost relegated as a result. So why have they changed tact and chosen Brenden Aaronson as their first signing of this season?

Who is Brenden Aaronson?

Brenden Aaronson is a 21-year-old attacking midfielder that has stood out in an excellent Red Bull Salzburg this season.

LILLE, FRANCE – NOVEMBER 23: Brenden Aaronson of FC Salzburg during the UEFA Champions League group G match between Lille OSC and RB Salzburg at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on November 23, 2021, in Lille, France. (Photo by Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images)

For a young player Aaronson has contributed well in an attacking sense this season with 5 goals and 9 assists in 41 appearances. On top of that Aaronson has shown maturity coming into the US National Team scoring 6 times in 19 appearances and rarely looking phased by the occasion. This was especially true when the midfielder put in an excellent performance in a Champions League Last 16 game against Bayern Munich. As a player, Aaronson is technically sound, with a good range of passing. This is an area he can do with improving though as he only has a 76% pass completion rate. Not terrible by any means, but giving the ball away will have far greater consequences for Leeds in the Premier League than it has for RB Salzburg in the Austrian League. What makes him special, however, is his pressing ability. Aaronson has been a pressing machine at RB Salzburg. He averages an astonishing 27.23 presses per 90 minutes played. For comparison, Diogo Jota is one of the highest pressing players in the Premier League with 23 presses per 90 minutes played. Leeds will be relying on Aaronsons obvious athletic ability to help him settle quickly in the English top flight. Confident both under and applying pressure, the young American international looks to be the embodiment of the new modern attacking midfielder.

A Good Fit For Leeds

Aaronson will fit into the dynamic high pressing system that Leeds will try and implement in the Premier League next season. It is no surprise that Jesse Marsch targeted Aaronson, as the American was familiar with his countryman and knows what the midfielder can bring to his Leeds side. The step up to the Premier League from a technical perspective will likely be the biggest challenge for Aaronson, but, he will get plenty of game time at the club due to Leeds’s lack of squad depth. Hopefully, this will allow the United States International the time he needs to develop and be successful at his new club.

Are you excited to see Brenden Aaronson in a Leeds shirt? Let us know what you think! If you enjoyed this content then follow me on Twitter @AzLynchy and also make sure to follow @FootballOTH for more football content!

Main Image Credits: Embed from Getty Images