The attacker made his first appearance back in Leeds colours on Wednesday during a 4-1 friendly win over Hannover 96. His no-look defence-breaking pass put Ilia Gruev in to score the opener and the American busied himself in a wide left attacking role during the first half.
How he came to be back involved with the Whites, having been one of the first to exercise his escape clause following the 2023 relegation to the Championship, is a story worth exploring. When the YEP first reported that the American was on his way back and would be accepted into Daniel Farke’s plans, it came somewhat out of the blue. The smarter money felt like another loan and though the YEP understands he did not have a reactivated clause to get him out of Leeds, he did have other options. His story is that towards the end of last season he decided he wanted to come back. But he feels the need to track further back to begin his explanation.
“After the [2022/23] season, and everything like that, I of course made my decision to go on loan,” he told the YEP. “I think at that moment in time it was a decision that I made because I didn’t know Daniel Farke was going to be the coach, [or who would be] the sporting director, just the club was not in the best shape. And I just think that for me, it was just going off that – I had a good opportunity to go play in the Champions League and I made that decision. Going through the season, I think around six or seven months, I remember just talking to my girlfriend and my agent about what the next season’s gonna look like and stuff like that. And in my mind, I had already made up that I wanted to come back to Leeds and prove myself and come back and help the team get up to the Premier League if they didn’t get up that season.”
Aaronson, who was on loan in the Bundesliga with Union Berlin, began to tune back into what was going at Elland Road in his absence. What he saw was a promotion push and a team dominated games in the Championship under Farke.
“I started watching all the games prior, from the six month period on and yeah, it was amazing to see the way they played. I mean, that’s another reason why [I came back], I think seeing the way that they played, the style of play, everything like that and also talking with Daniel after the season and having a really good conversation with him. Also just my desire to be at this club – it’s a club that I think is one of the best in the world with a giant fan base and amazing fan base and a world following so I want to be back.”
Aaronson first addressed his return in a Stateside interview during the Copa America in the summer but his decision to leave was not explored to any level of discomfort or awkwardness. He was not asked if he regretted it. So does he?
“I live my life not having any regrets,” he said. “You know, I live my life, knowing that you do stuff for a reason, it wasn’t a good way the season ended. And as a young player, you know, mentally it’s tough. It’s not easy because, of course, I came in and a lot of things out of the season, the first four or five months went really, really well and then the level drops off a little bit and I think that’s normal as young player now that I look back at it, but I don’t live with regrets. I think that yeah, in moments it was tough because you’re in Germany, you watch the team do super well and you want to be a part of it, because I mean, I love the guys the group of guys here and yeah, it was tough in moments, but I think like I said, I don’t live with any regrets.”
His and Leeds’ decision to reunite for the upcoming season and a second crack at promotion was met with a mixed response from the fanbase, to say the least. Aaronson openly accepts that not everyone is pleased to see him.
“Yeah, of course I think that, I mean with Leeds’ fan base, it’s a fan base that’s huge, that has a big following that really looks after the players and definitely has feelings at times,” he told the YEP. “But I think yeah, it’s always a little nerve racking because I’m an emotional guy. I like to be well-liked at the end of the day, but I know that there’s going to be some people that aren’t happy and that kind of thing. But what I will say is I’m just coming back to help the team and I always give my all on the pitch and I think they’ll be able to see that.”
Assists, like the one against Hannover, and some goals would help. The latter certainly paved the road back into fan affections for Willy Gnonto following his transfer request and downing of tools last summer. Aaronson isn’t quite willing to go as far as to say he has a Leeds story in need of re-writing but he obviously knows what he needs to do on the pitch and what Farke wants from him.
“The word rewrite, I think that it’s a tough word I would say,” he told the YEP. “But I think for me, I think going off when I first got here, I think having that level and bringing it here and then also getting my confidence when I was at Union and getting my confidence back in the last 10 to 15 games coming back in, just playing the way that I know I can play with everybody behind me, I’m just looking to get back and really make an impact and help the team go up in the Premiership which is where we belong.
“I had discussions with coach and I’m a player that’s always in between the lines, I like to create and stuff like that. I think all across the front four is discussions we’ve had, maybe not so much at striker, but across the front three, just being in between the lines looking to create and take people on and yeah, move the ball up the pitch and then get goals and assists. And that’s my game. That’s what I want to continue to bring in. That’s the discussions we had.”
Watching Aaronson working and existing with colleagues old and new in the Leeds training camp in Germany, it looks for all intents and purposes like he has been welcomed back with open arms and fully integrated into Farke’s squad. He looks just like any other player with a job to do and however satisfactory his explanation will be to fans, he can only now get on with it. He feels ready to do so.
“Yeah I’m in a really good place, I feel really sharp, I feel really confident, I feel like I fit the system really well with the guys,” he said. “I know most of the guys, we’re really close and we have good relationships. So I think it’s really great to be back and see the guys and I think I’ve been smiling the whole time and just really excited to be back.
“I mean, from the first couple days that I’ve got here, I said that it’s so professional, it’s super high standards, and I really liked that, you know, because I think that it creates this team that – I mean yesterday, I’ll give you an example. It was my first game of course, but I think in friendlies teams can go out, we’ve had tough sessions here, but we went and we were on the front foot from the beginning, you know and I think that that just shows the standards here, it’s to win every game, win every friendly game and play at the highest level which I think we did yesterday. We need to continue to have this high standard throughout, going to meals, regen sessions like today, and I think that yeah, we’re gonna have a great season.
“I’ve heard about [how gruelling the Championship is] and I had some friends that also played on the national team in the Championship like Antonee [Robinson] and Tim [Ream] and they always were complaining coming into camp how hard the season is. I know I’m ready for it, but I’m the type of player that, I’m not gonna knock on wood right now, but I’m not injured too often and always fit and I always try to work hard for the team and yeah, I’m ready to go for the season, for sure.”
