Brenden Aaronson has kicked off the summer transfer season for Americans, making his long-rumored transfer to English Premier League club Leeds United FC to link up with American coach Jesse Marsch.
Leeds’ interest in Aaronson has predated the arrival of Marsch as the team’s coach in February, and the 21 year-old’s move to the English club was confirmed by both parties on Thursday.
“Leeds United are delighted to announce an agreement with Red Bull Salzburg for the transfer of Brenden Aaronson, which will be completed on July 1st 2022,” Leeds announced on their website on Tuesday, adding “The 21-year-old will join for an undisclosed fee on a five-year-contract, running until the summer of 2027.”
The terms of Aaronson’s transfer from the Austrian giants are rumored to include a transfer fee in the neighborhood of $30 million.
The move closely follows the confirmation of Leeds’ survival in the English top level under the guidance of American coach Marsch, after they won their final game against Brentford on Sunday to finish three points clear of the drop.
In his 18 months in Salzburg, the young American made his mark, initially under Marsch during the latter half of the 2020-21 season, making a total of 45 Bundesliga appearances, scoring nine goals and assisting on another ten.
He is joining a Leeds squad that staved off relegation by the skin of their teeth, and had the second-worst goalscoring record of non-relegated teams in the Premier League, with 42 scored in their 38 games.
Marsch praised the arrival of his countryman, stating “Brenden is an incredibly hard worker and we’re pleased to welcome him to the club. He adapts very well to tactical ideas and levels of play and his mentality is to do whatever it takes to help the team succeed.”
“I know he will fit in here perfectly with our players and club with this mindset.”
