Winger or No.10? Why USMNT star Brenden Aaronson remains ‘key’ for Leeds after winning over Elland Road boo boys

Aaronson was among those to jump the Leeds ship following relegation out of the Premier League at the end of his debut campaign with the club in 2023. A loan spell in Germany with Union Berlin was sanctioned.

That did not play out as planned and the New Jersey native headed back to West Yorkshire for a shot at securing promotion out of the Championship. He helped the Whites to the second tier title, with a career-best return of nine goals being posted as Daniel Farke’s side collected 100 points.

His presence during that stellar season was not always warmly embraced by those in the stands, with some criticism carried over into another top-flight campaign. Aaronson has, however, worked tirelessly on turning doubters into believers.

He has become a regular for Leeds, figuring in 41 games this term, with a personal purple patch that was enjoyed early in the new year seeing three goals recorded across outings against Manchester United and Newcastle.

The odd question has still been asked of what the future holds, with the 25-year-old forward only under contract for another 12 months. He is also yet to nail down one specific role in a system that has been tinkered with at times.

Quizzed on whether Aaronson is good enough to be a long-term option down the middle or on the flanks, former Leeds defender Gray - who sees the Whites figure prominently in final day betting markets as Farke’s men prepare for a potentially decisive clash with West Ham - told GOAL: “I think this is one of the things that's changed over the last decade in football - players are becoming more versatile, there's not just one set position for an individual player, and I think they're really important for dressing rooms and squads as well.

“Brenden Aaronson can play in a number of positions and he looks comfortable in all the positions that he seems to play in.

“Another player that there was a bit of controversy around when he came back to the club. Did the Leeds fans take to him when he first walked through the door again? No they didn't. I think he's had to play his way into form and he's had to play himself back into favour with the Leeds supporters, but again he's a key part for what Leeds are moving forward.”

Leeds are due at the London Stadium on Sunday for a contest that will see their hosts battling desperately for Premier League survival. The Whites dragged themselves over that line with room to spare and could finish the campaign just below mid-table.

There is the promise of more squad restructuring to come over the summer, as another transfer window delivers movement in and out of Elland Road, and Aaronson - after representing his country at a home World Cup - will hope to figure prominently in plans for 2026-27 and beyond after leaving himself open to discussions regarding fresh terms and an extended stay in English football.