Brenden Aaronson has experienced a rollercoaster of emotions at Leeds.
The United States international has been involved in both a relegation and a promotion since his £25m move from RB Salzburg back in May 2022 – as well as spending a season on loan at Union Berlin in the 2023/24 campaign.
Daniel Farke is now giving Brenden Aaronson a second chance to prove himself in the Premier League, and the American’s promising display against West Ham suggests he is ready to live up to what he said in June 2024.
Brenden Aaronson puts first block in place to make June 2024 comments a reality
The Leeds No.11 told fans last year that he intends to “do special things” in Yorkshire and become a “big” player for the Whites.
Aaronson told The Athletic: “I said I wanted to be a big Leeds player. My grandpa brought up that quote to me last week, so I was thinking about it again. It stuck with me. That’s what I want to do. I want to go back to the club and do special things.
“I know how big the club is, how much it means to people in the city. Coming back, I’m going to do the best I can. All I want to do is bring Leeds back to the Premier League. I can’t wait to play at Elland Road in front of our fans again.”
That looked an ambitious aim at the time, with many Leeds fans still uncertain if Aaronson would even feature in the 2024/25 Championship campaign after his stint on loan at Union Berlin.
Now – however – his superb performance against West Ham suggests the man from Medford is genuinely ready to put his money where his mouth is.
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Of course, Aaronson still has plenty of work to do. It was only a matter of days ago he found himself the villain after missing a glorious chance in the 2-0 defeat at Burnley.
Nevertheless, the commitment to Leeds is seemingly there. If the 25-year-old can put in another standout display at Brighton on Saturday and build on his performance against West Ham, Farke could well have a player on his hands.
Brenden Aaronson is playing for his future at Leeds
This season is a significant one for Aaronson – who Stuart Dallas praised – given the details of his contract.
The Leeds attacker will only have 12 months remaining on his terms at the end of the campaign, ahead of his deal expiring in July 2027.
Brenden Aaronson celebrates with Jayden Bogle and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
It would reflect poorly on Leeds in terms of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) if a £25m signing was allowed to leave for nothing, so Aaronson could well be playing for a new contract this term.
If he fails to build on his display against West Ham and continues to be a divisive figure at Elland Road, the 49ers may therefore opt for a sale.