Leeds United have signed Brenden Aaronson – and he is being backed for success by Philadlephia Union boss Jim Curtin.
The Whites secured their Premier League status on Sunday by beating Brentford 2-1 in West London.
Leeds went into the final day of the season occupying the final relegation spot but managed to escape the drop.
The attention almost immediately turned to new signings with Leeds quickly able to make their first addition of the summer.
Leeds United have signed Brenden Aaronson
MLS Soccer reported on Sunday that Leeds were finalising a £24million deal to sign Aaronson.
Leeds wanted Aaronson in January and it was claimed that the Whites had a deal in place months ago – but only if they stayed up.
As soon as Leeds beat Brentford, Aaronson was able to make his move to Elland Road.
The American playmaker played under Jesse Marsch at Red Bull Salzburg last season and the pair reunite now at Leeds as the move was confirmed on Thursday.
Aaronson, 21, notched six goals and 10 assists for Red Bull Salzburg last season and will now be looking to bring that quality to the Premier League.
This is a deal Leeds wanted even before appointing his former boss Marsch, so it makes perfect sense now.
Aaronson is a hugely exciting talent but there will be question marks about him.
More than £20million for a largely unproven talent coming out of Austria may be seen as a big gamble to some.
Yet Aaronson is highly rated by ever manager who has coached him, from Marsch to his former Philadelphia Union boss Jim Curtin.
Curtin has now spoken to MLS Soccer about Aaronson, believing his rise has been truly sensational in recent times.
Curtin’s comments came just before Aaronson completed his move but he offered a prediction that Marsch will definitely get the best out of Aaronson at Leeds.
The Union boss added that it’s a ‘good partnership’ between the pair and that Leeds is a ‘great’ place for Aaronson to play moving forward.
“It’s a wild ride, if you really look back how quickly Brenden has risen, on the field most importantly,” said Curtin. “The dollars are the dollars and certainly that’s great and that’s part of our model and it certainly helps the league, it helps ownership and helps everything. It’s really good, the money side of things, but to watch the kid now go in the last 18 months from great MLS player to a great national team player to a great player in Europe, and now going to the Premier League.”
“Obviously congrats to Leeds and Jesse [Marsch], dealing with pressure that none of us will ever, probably, feel in our lives. What he handled with poise and character was really amazing. I’m proud of him. And then now Brenden will join that group and look, Jesse will get the most out of Brenden, no question about it. That’s a good partnership for sure,” he added.
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