Leeds United’s return to the Championship was confirmed at the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, bringing an end to their three-season tenure in the Premier League, a journey that began with their promotion in 2020.
In an effort to solidify their Premier League status, Leeds, under the management of Jesse Marsch, welcomed several new players in the summer of 2022, including Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams, Luis Sinisterra, Marc Roca, and Rasmus Kristensen. Despite these reinforcements, the team was unable to avoid relegation, with Aaronson, in particular, struggling to make the anticipated impact.
Brenden Aaronson’s Early Promise at Leeds
Leeds acquired Aaronson from Red Bull Salzburg for a reported £24.7 million, and he initially seemed to justify the investment with a promising start, especially in his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Stuart Rayner from The Yorkshire Post gave him the highest rating among the team, an 8/10, highlighting his performance as the standout among the newcomers.
Deployed on the right wing, Aaronson demonstrated his work ethic with two tackles and winning four duels during the match. His effort also indirectly contributed to Leeds’ winning goal in their 2-1 victory, pressuring Rayan Ait-Nouri into scoring an own goal. Aaronson found the back of the net himself in a 3-0 triumph over Chelsea at Elland Road, marking a bright beginning to his Premier League career.
A Season to Forget
However, Aaronson’s promising start soon faded, and his performance levels dropped significantly as the season progressed. By the season’s end, based on Sofascore ratings, he was unfortunately labeled the Premier League’s least effective player, with the lowest score of 6.51 across 36 appearances.
The statistics painted a bleak picture of his season; he underperformed his expected goals (xG) by 2.86 and only succeeded in 40% of his duels, indicating he often came off worse in physical battles. BBC Radio Leeds pundit Jon Newsome critiqued him as being “lightweight,” a view supported by Aaronson losing 83% of his aerial duels.
After a hopeful beginning, Aaronson’s time at Leeds turned sour, with his inability to consistently contribute in attack or defense. This disappointing performance led to him being loaned out to Union Berlin in the Bundesliga for the 2023/24 season, where he has so far managed just one goal and no assists in 20 appearances.
