USMNT captain Tyler Adams has bid farewell to German team RB Leipzig, linking up with former coach Jesse Marsch and international teammate Brenden Aaronson at English Premier League club Leeds United.
The long rumored transfer was confirmed by both teams today, with the English club reportedly having spent close to $24 Million for the services of the 23 year-old defensive midfielder.
The New York native joined the German club in January, 2019 after a successful run with their MLS farm club in New Jersey. Over his two and a half seasons in the eastern German city, he played in 75 Bundesliga games scoring one goal, as well as another 19 European contests, most notably scoring against Atlético Madrid to help the Red Bulls reach the 2020 Champions League semifinal.
At his new club Leeds United, the 30-times capped USA international will join a pair of familiar faces. Most notably, head coach Jesse Marsch, who helped the team escape relegation after taking the reigns in February, 2022, heavily recruited the player who he coached in both Leipzig and New York.
Additionally, up-and-coming American starlet Brenden Aaronson was also acquired by the team earlier in the transfer window, and is expected to be a cornerstone of their attack.
Speaking with official Leeds United press channels following the announcement of the transfer, Adams credited his history with Marsch as a major factor in his decision to make the jump from a perennial Champions League qualifier to a team more expected to struggle with relegation.
“Jesse [Marsch] was a huge influence on my career so far, he’s given me a lot of experiences as a young player that other players may not have received. So, he was definitely a big influence [in coming to Leeds United],” Adams stated.
“Then Brenden Aaronson, we play together for the national team, Jack Harrison I’ve had the opportunity to play against him a bunch of times and he’s a great player, so they made me really comfortable on my first day,” he continued, pointing out his new teammates.
Leeds barely escaped relegation last season, only securing their place in the upcoming Premier League season in the last game. Adams will have big shoes to fill, as he will likely be asked to step in for English international Kalvin Phillips, who transferred to Manchester City over the weekend.
Adams and his new teammates will already begin their season in exactly one month, when they host Woverhampton on August 6.
