Leeds United is set for several roster departures this summer with U.S. men’s national team attacker Brenden Aaronson set to be one of them.
Aaronson is linked with a loan spell to Bundesliga side Union Berlin, The Athletic reported Monday. The 22-year-old suffered relegation from the English Premier League this past season, along with fellow USMNT teammate Tyler Adams.
Aaronson joined Leeds United last summer for roughly $35 million and proceeded to register one goal and three assists in 36 league appearances. The former Philadelphia Union homegrown started off strong at Elland Road, but struggled for consistent playing time during the second half of the season.
Prior to his move to England, Aaronson featured for Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, winning two league titles and two Austrian Cups. He has earned 29 caps for the USMNT to date, featuring in all four matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Aaronson has seven goals and five assists on the international level.
Union Berlin finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in its history. Aaronson would join fellow USMNT teammate Jordan Pefok in Urs Fischer’s squad, should the German club get the deal finished.
His brother Paxten, currently just finished his first season with Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.
Leeds United begins its EFL Championship campaign in early-August.
I don’t think it is size that matters most (but bigger is usually stronger). It is strength and the ability to apply that strength effectively that I think matters,
Too often Aaronson ends up on the ground in physical confrontations; it is hard to be effective when you are on the ground. He has quick feet and otherwise seems to have good balance, just not when he is being pushed a bit.
Dortmund and McKennies reps in conversation for a transfer. Reyna was put on the transfer list, but that could just be Dortmund seeing if anyone may be interested in him.
McKennie wants to stay in the EPL from what I’m hearing, and I’m also hearing that Aston Villa have come in for his signature too…..Musah to Fulham is another trending rumor
well I watched every game for Leeds until Jesse got fired
BA got hammered in that league, and also Gnonto, Sommerville, etc. and no protection from the refs. Jesse got the EPhakeL handshake
anyway, wasn’t the most difficult to predict BA’s difficulties there, wrong league for him for reasons illuminated from the day the possibilities of him going to Leeds arose
And also, what got attention most wasn’t his Austrian league play tho good, but his performance vs. Bayern in the UCL at home and in the UCL before that. watched all those games too, he was very good and key
Italy or Spain would be right imo
Austria to the Premier League is a big jump. Last year may have been tough for Brendan, but I’m pretty sure he learned a lot and he’ll be better this year. I’d say he’s got a good future with the national team.
Which brother has a brighter long term future?
I’m guessing only one makes it on the 2026 WC roster
Hard to tell right now. We will see how this next season goes for both.
Brandon stated that his brother (Paxton) was a better attacker. Brandon brings a ton of hustle and pressing, but he’s struggled a bit at creating opportunities after leaving Red Bull. I agree with 2tone that this upcoming season will have significant impact on where these brothers project long term.
For all players it’s about finding the best fit…and what we’ve seen is that our smaller attacking players like Pulisic and Aaronson get physically beat down in the Prem. Pulisic had some injuries at Dortmund as well.
I’m a little iffy on Brendan Aaronson succeeding at Union Berlin for the same reason: the Bundesliga is a physical league, almost as much so as the Prem. I think both players fit Italy and its slowed-down, cerebral, highly tactical approach to the game a lot better. As we’ve seen with guys even as small as the “Atomic Ant” Sebastian Giovinco, you don’t have to be big (at all!) to thrive in Serie A. You just have to be smart, positionally flexible and capable of playing multiple roles even in the course of a single game as the chess match evolves, and of course you have to be really skilled.
My guess is Brendan’s going to be a role guy for Union Berlin, too, but if they can manage his minutes and use him off the bench I think he can be a highly useful player for them, too, though I still think his ultimate target destination probably needs to be Italy.
Quozzel,
Why is it that the “smaller attacking players” of other countries are not physically beaten down in the EPL?
Brenden and Pulisic are not smaller. They are pretty average.
Here’s a list of successful EPL players, two MLS players and one La Liga player just for comparison.
I don’t doubt that the EPL is a physically tough league but there are far too many successful players who are the same basic dimensions as Brenden and Pulisic to blame our guy’s miserable failures on their size.
There is something else wrong with them.
Brenden Aaronson Height 5′ 10″, Weight 154 lbs
Christian Pulisic Height 5′ 10″, Weight 161 lbs
Daniel James Height 5′ 7″, Weight 139 lbs
Tyler Adams Height 5′ 9″, Weight 159 lbs
Landon Donovan Height 5′ 8″, Weight 155 lbs
Gianfranco Zola Height 5′ 6″, Weight 150 lbs
Eden Hazard Height 5′ 9″, Weight 163 lbs
David Silva Height 5′ 7″, Weight 148 lbs
Phil Foden Height 5′ 7″, Weight 154 lbs
Kevin De Bruyne Height 5′ 11″, Weight 154 lbs
Mohamed Salah Height 5′ 9″, Weight 161 lbs
Jorginho Height 5’11, Weight 143 lbs
Clint Dempsey Height 6′ 1″, Weight 170 lbs
Wayne Rooney Height 5′ 9″, Weight 182 lbs
Jack Grealish Height 5′ 9″, Weight 172 lbs
İlkay Gündoğan Height 5′ 11″, Weight 176 lbs
Lionel Messi Height 5′ 7″, Weight 159 lbs
Jesus Ferreira Height 5′ 8″, Weight 150 lbs
Brenden is the same size as Tyler, a player who seems to be doing okay with the physicality of the EPL.
He’s slightly smaller than Pulisic.
He’s bigger than former teammate Dan James who seems to be popular with teams for his speed.
The only players he is significantly smaller than are the four Tanks, Clint, Rooney, Grealish and Gundogan and it’s not like they dwarf Brenden.
Whatever the reason is that Brenden and Pulisic failed in the EPL it is not because they are too small..
Quozzel,
Why is it that the “smaller attacking players” of other countries are not physically beaten down in the EPL?
Brenden and Pulisic are not smaller.
They are pretty average EPL size.
Here’s a list of successful EPL players, two MLS players and one La Liga player just for comparison. I don’t doubt that the EPL is a physically tough league but there are far too many successful players who are the same basic dimensions as Brenden and Pulisic to blame our players’ failure on “size”.
There is something else wrong with them.
Brenden Aaronson Height 5′ 10″, Weight 154 lbs
Christian Pulisic Height 5′ 10″, Weight 161 lbs
Daniel James Height 5′ 7″, Weight 139 lbs
Tyler Adams Height 5′ 9″, Weight 159 lbs
Landon Donovan Height 5′ 8″, Weight 155 lbs
Gianfranco Zola Height 5′ 6″, Weight 150 lbs
Eden Hazard Height 5′ 9″, Weight 163 lbs
David Silva Height 5′ 7″, Weight 148 lbs
Phil Foden Height 5′ 7″, Weight 154 lbs
Kevin De Bruyne Height 5′ 11″, Weight 154 lbs
Mohamed Salah Height 5′ 9″, Weight 161 lbs
Jorginho Height 5’11, Weight 143 lbs
Clint Dempsey Height 6′ 1″, Weight 170 lbs
Wayne Rooney Height 5′ 9″, Weight 182 lbs
Jack Grealish Height 5′ 9″, Weight 172 lbs
İlkay Gündoğan Height 5′ 11″, Weight 176 lbs
Lionel Messi Height 5′ 7″, Weight 159 lbs
Jesus Ferreira Height 5′ 8″, Weight 150 lbs
Brenden is the same size as Tyler, a player who seems to be doing okay with the physicality of the EPL.
He’s slightly smaller than Pulisic.
He’s bigger than former teammate Dan James who seems to be popular with teams for his speed.
The only players he is significantly smaller than are the four Tanks, Clint, Rooney, Grealish and Gundogan and it’s not like they dwarf Brenden.
These guys are normal sized people not NFL linebackers or O-linemen.
Whatever the reason is that Brenden and Christian both failed miserably in the EPL it is not because they are “smaller players”.