Brenden Aaronson of Leeds United will be back at Thorp Arch for pre-season training earlier than expected after the United States Men’s National Team’s elimination from Copa America by Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay. Aaronson, who did not play in the match where the USMNT lost 1-0 to Uruguay, finished third in Group C. After losing to Panama, managed by former Leeds coach Thomas Christiansen, the US team faced a difficult situation going into the game against Bielsa’s side.
Uruguay finished at the top of the group with a perfect record, defeating Panama, the USMNT, and Bolivia. The controversial final game saw Uruguay’s winning goal by Mathias Olivera, which appeared offside, stand after a VAR review. Tensions rose between US players and the Peruvian officiating team, with referee Kevin Ortega even refusing to shake hands with US captain Christian Pulisic.
Expected to move on to the knockout stage of the tournament being hosted in the US, Aaronson will now return to Leeds sooner than planned this month. Coach Berhalter expressed disappointment in the team’s performance, emphasizing their potential for more success.
Leeds’ former No. 7 now worn by Joel Piroe will take some time off before the start of the new season, after using a loan release clause following their Premier League relegation last year. Integrating back into the team may be a challenge for Aaronson, but the sooner he does, the better chance he has to make an early impact.
Leeds began pre-season testing on July 2, with friendlies against Harrogate Town and a tour of Germany coming up. The pre-season ends with a match against Valencia before their Championship opener against Portsmouth. If the US had advanced further in Copa America, Aaronson may have missed some pre-season activities, but now he is expected to be ready for the first game of the season.
