Leeds United are expected to add competition for Brenden Aaronson at No.10.
Brenden Aaronson admits he and his Leeds United teammates had a few ‘scares’ during last season’s Championship promotion race - but it was all worth it to feel the love of the entire city during their title parade.
Aaronson was among the most regularly involved players during Leeds’ Championship title-winning campaign, with only two teammates - defensive pair Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle - playing more than his 3,551 league minutes. The seemingly tireless American started 37 consecutive games between August and March before reclaiming his starting place for six straight wins to see out the season.
The sole game in which he was dropped, a 1-1 draw at Luton Town, proved to be the low point of Leeds’ promotion run-in as they had won just one of their previous five and conceded late on to draw 2-2 against Swansea City, falling out of the automatic promotion places. But a point at Kenilworth Road was followed by six straight victories and they eventually secured top-spot courtesy of Manor Solomon’s added-time final-day winner at Plymouth Argyle.
"We had some scares, man," Aaronson told GOAL USA. "Even right at the end of the season, we lost and tied a few we shouldn't have lost or tied. The tough part of the Championship was that you had four teams really going for it, until Sunderland started to drop out. And it felt like no one would ever lose. Every time you think, 'Oh, we'll pull away' someone closes the gap. It's just ongoing.
"It's a gigantic club, though, and it feels like we needed to win the Championship. Even when we were promoted, people wanted the trophy. That's all the fans care about: winning the trophy. They were saying 200,000 people would be at the parade. It ended up being like 300,000. The whole city was there. It's people as far as eyes can see and you can just feel that love."
Leeds United already planning for Premier League return
While many of Aaronson’s club-level teammates have since jetted off for a well-earned rest, his campaign continues with the USA’s participation in the Concacaf Gold Cup. Mauricio Pochettino’s side won all three group stage games and are due to face Costa Rica in their quarter-final in the early hours of Monday morning UK time.
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For those above Aaronson at Leeds, full focus is already on the Premier League and the American already has two new teammates, with defender Jaka Bijol following free agent striker Lukas Nmecha through the door on Monday. Many expect competition at No.10 to arrive before September 1 but Farke’s current first-choice remains confident he can enjoy an impressive 2025/26 campaign in West Yorkshire.
"I'm looking forward to this Gold Cup and how we keep going forward," Aaronson added. "Of course, I want to play, I want to start games, but yeah, it's whatever is needed for me. And then, after this tournament, it's going back to Leeds and having a fantastic season in the Premier League. It's how the club thinks: what are we going to do next? Who are we gonna add?
"They always have to make decisions regarding the Prem and, once you win that trophy, it goes directly to how we're going to work to stay in the Premier League... I want to have a great season. I want to prove to everyone that I can do it in the Premier League, too."
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