Brenden Aaronson has committed his future to Leeds United through to 2029 after putting pen to paper on a new three-year deal at Elland Road.
The United States international was one of three players whose existing contracts were set to run out at the end of the current campaign, but the Yorkshire club have moved to tie him down for an additional two years beyond that. The contract extension ensures the club maintain an asset who has yet to reach his full potential at 25 years old, with his 26th birthday approaching next month.
Aaronson has long been a favoured player of Farke and has regularly been commended for his industrious approach and defensive contribution. The midfielder has shown improved output over the past twelve months though supporters have frequently grown exasperated by his struggles to deliver the crucial final ball or finish.
The choice to offer Aaronson fresh terms is noteworthy given the divided opinion among the support regarding his contributions. Nevertheless, the USA international, who featured once during this summer’s home World Cup tournament, declared the previous campaign to be his finest professional season, finding the net four times and providing five assists.
He struck three times and supplied one assist across a ten-day stretch spanning the turn of the new year last season. He eventually featured in every top-flight encounter bar one by the campaign’s conclusion, having featured in each Champions League match the previous season.
Also working in his favour is Aaronson’s impressive injury resilience together with the circumstance that he currently represents the sole natural number 10 available to the squad. He is poised to feature from a wide number 10 position against Nottingham Forest in this weekend’s Premier League curtain-raiser following an injury to Noah Okafor.
He represents the first among the three players whose contracts expire at season’s end to receive an extension. Lukas Nmecha and Ilia Gruev comprise the remaining pair, while Joel Piroe’s deal was also approaching expiry before his temporary switch to West Ham United.
Piroe will make the move to the Hammers permanently should they achieve promotion from the Championship in a deal that will exceed the £10million outlay paid for him in 2023. Leeds retain the option to activate a clause extending his contract by twelve months at any stage.
Aaronson, who has contributed 14 goals and ten assists across 129 appearances, becomes the third player to agree new terms within two days, following on from Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle. Ethan Ampadu had previously committed his signature in early June.