'Prove people wrong' - Brenden Aaronson sends defiant Leeds United message as Premier League challenge awaits

Brenden Aaronson admits fatigue got the better of him a little bit last season with the energetic American still learning how to ‘stay medium all year round’.

Aaronson’s durability proved one of his biggest strengths last season with the 24-year-old starting 37 consecutive Championship games between late August and the end of March. The first-half of that run saw the attacking midfielder chip in with six goals but from January onwards, he managed just two more and regularly struggled to impact matches.

A handful of early substitutions arrived during Leeds’ worst period of form through March and he was eventually dropped at Luton Town, albeit Daniel Farke quickly recalled the attacking midfielder for the next game at Middlesbrough. And speaking while away on Concacaf Gold Cup duty with the USA, Aaronson admits the frantic winter schedule took its toll.

"I had a really good start to the season and I just rode that wave all the way to January," Aaronson told GOAL USA. "I had a good run of 20-25 games at a high level. Then, your body starts to fatigue a little bit. In January, you play every three days. Your body slows down, you're not feeling as good and I probably had a little spell where I wasn't at my top level.

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“I still felt like I was doing a good job dealing with it, helping the team do what we were supposed to do and then, at the end of the season, I came alive again, which was good. It's just learning to stay medium all year round. You have to stay right in the middle and go from there. You just have to go right through all of the highs and all of the lows. You just keep going."

Brenden Aaronson ready to prove people wrong in the Premier League

After returning to the starting line-up at Middlesbrough, Aaronson kept his place throughout a run-in that saw Leeds win all of their last six games to claim the Championship title. He and his club-level teammates can now look forward to an exciting summer before tasting the return of Premier League football in August.

But with promotion comes the fresh challenge of facing top-level opposition, with Aaronson one of a handful who were unable to stave off relegation two years ago. Leeds will be expected to sign fresh competition for the American at No.10 but he remains confident he can keep improving and silence the doubters.

"I've proven that I can score goals," Aaronson added. "I've proven that I can create with the best teams in the league and help a team get promoted. For me, I'm just going to go out there and continue to get better and better. I know it sounds boring, but, for me, it's true. I'm proud of how this season went, but I want to grow. I think I can get better. I'm really happy with this season, but I think I can continue to prove people wrong."