W
hen Brenden Aaronson
joined Red Bull Salzburg
inJanuary 2021, the
versatile attacking
midfielder could have been forgiven
for taking some time to adjust to life
in Austria. With little more than 50
appearances in Major League Soccer
to his name, it seemed unlikely that
he would immediately adapt to the
standard of the league and the huge
demands placed on attacking players
at the Austrian champions.
UnderJesse Marsch, Salzburg
players were expected to play high-
tempo football with the ball and
undertake aggressive pressing without
it. The belief was that Aaronson would
adjust gradually, as hitting the ground
running would be a serious challenge
for a player who had only been a
regular starter for Philadelphia
Union for a couple of seasons.
That school of thought quickly
dissipated, as Aaronson became
a crucial member of the Salzburg
team, making 25 appearances in all
competitions – scoring seven and
assisting five – as he helped his side
land a domestic double. This season
the 21-year-old has played an even
more instrumental role, earning plaudits
for his performances both domesticallyTHE
MEDFORD
MESSI
Words:Adrian BackBrenden Aaronson has wasted no time in
making a big impression at Red Bull Salzburg
and in European competition as
Salzburg reached the knockout
stages of the Champions League.
Having first excelled under Marsch- who is reportedly keen on bringing
Aaronson to Leeds United this summer - the young American is now starring
for highly-rated young coach Matthias
Jaissle. His versatility, with the ability to
play across the front-line or at the head
of a midfield diamond, has helped him
carve out a reputation as one of the most
exciting and promising talents in Austria.
But how has Aaronson made the
move look quite so effortless? “When I
first arrived I immediately felt like part
of the family of the club. From the first
week I just felt like all the players and
staff had taken me in and I felt right at
home,” he says. “That was a big reason
why I hit the ground running.
“The standard of the league is
different from MLS in that it’s more
high-tempo and a lot more physical.
Teams come out and press and are
aggressive, which doesn’t make it
easy. But I love the Red Bull style: the
pressing, the open counter-attacks;
that’s something I really enjoy. It’s an
attacking way of football and I wouldn’t
want to play any other way. I love being
able to get the ball and play that final
pass or drive forward. It fits me.”
SPECIAL
FEATURE