"I can’t wait " - Leeds United: Brenden Aaronson makes Premier League claim | OneFootball

Leeds United midfielder Brenden Aaronson has told The Athletic that he has "unfinished business" at Elland Road, as he makes his return to West Yorkshire this summer.

The 23-year-old departed Leeds following the club's relegation to the Championship last summer, joining Bundesliga side Union Berlin on loan until the end of the season.

Aaronson played 30 times in the German top-flight for Union last season, scoring twice and adding two assists, in what was largely a sub-par spell in Germany.

As revealed by the Berliner Kurier, the attacking midfielder did have multiple Bundesliga clubs interested in making a move for him this summer, but Aaronson has opted to make his return to English football instead.

Now the USA international is preparing for a make-or-break season in the Championship with Leeds, as he attempts to win back the support of those Whites fans whom his departure still leaves a bitter taste in their mouths.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tom Bogert of The Athletic, Aaronson has been reflecting on his time in Germany, how he's developed as a player, talks with Leeds boss Daniel Farke, and what his ambitions are for next season as a Leeds United player once again.

Aaronson said: “It was a pretty easy decision, I felt like I had unfinished business at Leeds.

“It was an awesome conversation, (with Farke) the role he sees me playing, the games he watched of me, how I fit into the team, and, importantly, the things I can get better at.

“It’s a grind. It’s a challenge I want to be up for. All I care about is getting Leeds United promoted back to the Premier League.”

Speaking on his experience of German football, Aaronson said: "Playing in the Bundesliga is super physical, it’s just a battering. The biggest thing I learned this year is working on physicality. I got a nutritionist and I gained six pounds of muscle mass, which is huge for me.

"I had to gain weight. At Union, there wasn’t a ton of football. We were without the ball much more. It forced me to get stronger and win more duels.”

So, what does Aaronson want to achieve with his chance of a fresh start with Leeds? He said: “I’ve had to grow. Coming from Salzburg where there was a lot of winning and trophies, then in a relegation battle with Leeds. It’s tough.

"We were losing games, our confidence was low and it was tough on the players. Then going to Union where I thought I’d be playing more, but that’s why you play football. To play through this, to get stronger.

“I said I wanted to be a big Leeds player,” Aaronson recalls. “My grandpa brought up that quote to me last week, so I was thinking about it again. It stuck with me. That’s what I want to do: I want to go back to the club and do special things.

“I know how big the club is, how much it means to people in the city. Coming back, I’m going to do the best I can. All I want to do is bring Leeds back to the Premier League. I can’t wait to play at Elland Road in front of our fans again.”

Aaronson could be a key player next season

It's no secret that Leeds United must sell some of their key assets this summer, as they attempt to stay on the right side of football's financial laws.

Aaronson could've been a player that would likely have netted the club a sizeable fee this summer, but both parties appear to have reached a shared acknowledgment that working together, could be even more profitable.

He may not have put up numbers in Germany that jump off the screen, but not many second tier clubs can say they have a player amid their ranks who played six times in the Champions League last season, and a further handful of times earlier in his career with Salzburg.

What Aaronson would bring to Farke's squad is a high-energy, high-pressing midfield player, who could well be one of the best in his position in the Championship next season.

Leeds United as a club, and as a fanbase, still expect their team to win promotion next season, and won't accept a rebuilding season. They want to see a strong, competitive Leeds side fielded next year, and Aaronson could be a huge part of that.

Therefore, Whites fans should be willing to put any lingering resentment to one side, and allow the US international to win back their trust, as his return could be crucial to Leeds' promotion prospects in 2024/25.