Last summer, midfielder Brenden Aaronson moved to Premier League side Leeds United for a reported $30 million. The talented American, who made his name in MLS with Philadelphia Union before moving to Austrian side RB Salzburg, was regarded as one of the best prospects in the world. After all, at just 21 years old, he was a capped US international, had played in the Champions League, and made over 100 appearances at club level.
He got off to a quick start in England, scoring in just his third Premier League match — a surprise win over Chelsea. However, it was all downhill from there — as Leeds struggled and battled relegation, Aaronson was heavily criticized by the club’s fans and his form got worse and worse. By the end of the season, Leeds had been relegated and a departure for Aaronson looked imminent.
Now, he is reportedly off to Germany, signing for Bundesliga side Union Berlin. The German side has risen rapidly to the top of European football, going from the 2. Bundesliga to the Champions League in just four years. It’s the perfect place for Aaronson to regain his confidence and develop.
Style of Play
Union Berlin uses an energetic style that favors hardworking, high-energy players. Last season in the Bundesliga, only one club (FC Köln) covered more distance, with Union racking up 4,027 km (or, 2,500 miles for the Americans) in 34 games. They prioritize this over physicality or dribbling — both of which Aaronson was criticized for his lack of in the Premier League.
Aaronson is perfect for this style. He pressures the opponent relentlessly — his lone Premier League goal came from dispossessing Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy — and he seems to never lose energy. He can cover astounding distances on the field, and he’s relatively unselfish, which means he’s a great fit for the team and locker.
Depth
Last season, Union Berlin looked like they could be title challengers on two occasions. The first instance was when they exploded out of the gate, thrashing rivals Hertha Berlin in the opener and losing just two of their first twelve matches. However, in the final five matches before the World Cup break, they won just once.
The second instance was directly after the World Cup break when they lost just one of their next ten games. However, again they faded down the stretch.
With fixture congestion, Union Berlin struggled with its lack of depth. Their play style is demanding, and they seemed to lose energy and legs at key parts of the season — especially with the additional matches in Europa League and the DFB Pokal.
This season, Union Berlin will play in the Champions League for the first time. For the club, Aaronson arriving means that they can afford to rotate their squad more often and stay strong in all competitions. For Aaronson, it means that he is guaranteed a decent amount of minutes, which is crucial.
Atmosphere
Many of the world’s top players — Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne, Jude Bellingham, etc. — developed in the Bundesliga. A big reason for this is that clubs feel less pressure from their fans when playing young players. Many Premier League clubs don’t want to risk criticism from fans if their young players struggle, while teams in Italy or Spain tend to favor experience.
Union Berlin is an even better place for a young player to develop. The fans care more about the identity of the club than the results, so there’s not going to be as much pressure — and even if there was, Union is still overachieving. Backed by a great fanbase and lower expectations, it’s the perfect place for Aaronson to regain confidence.
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Image Courtesy of Werner100359, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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