Southampton v Leeds United: Brenden Aaronson quick out of the blocks at Elland Road

Few can say that Aaronson did not fly out of the blocks with new club Leeds United at Elland Road last Saturday. As first impressions go, he blitzed the field in a dazzling Premier League debut against Wolves.

A non-stop performance of heart, talent and endeavour was headlined by contributions to both home goals. He won the ball off Wolves rival Rayan Ait-Nouri to set up United’s leveller.

Just for good measure, his burst into the box and forced the Frenchman to divert home the winner in front of a delirious Gelderd End in the second half.

But it was Aaronson’s selfless running – he was a constant pest to Wolves all game – and ability to do the dirty work which was just as important and set the tone.

The US international has clear quality and threat. Leeds supporters prize talent, but if you are a grafter as well, it doesn’t half help. Certainly as a modern-day No 10 as well and there was an honesty about his display that it was impossible not to like.

Speaking earlier in the summer soon after signing for £25m from RB Salzburg, Aaronson said that his aim was to be Leeds’s most hard-working player this season.

Last Saturday was an early indicator of that talent. Another non-stop performance amid intense conditions on the south coast today would be another statement of intent.

It would also send out another message of announcement to the Premier League and show why Marsch was so keen to bring him from his former club in Austria.

On the make-up of Aaronson, whose kid brother Paxten plays for his sibling’s former club Philadelphia Union, head coach Jesse Marsch said: “He’s from central New Jersey and is a tough, hard-working kid from a hard-working family.

“He’s one of the nicest people you will ever meet, he is just genuinely friendly and open.

“But on the pitch, he has this personality that’s never-say-die and he wants to win every duel in every situation. With the balance of who he is as a person and player, I think he’s nailed that. I think it’s a big part of why he’s had an ascension like he’s had.

“I like to see him every day. I knew his coach at Philadelphia and he was one of my best friends and he told me a lot about Brenden before he came to Salzburg and he described it perfectly that he’s like the nicest kid in the world, but the fiercest competitor.”

It won’t be lost upon anyone connected with Leeds that those qualities of humility and ordinariness off the pitch juxtaposed with a ferocious desire to succeed on it were characteristics which served their last hero in the shape of Kalvin Phillips rather well.

With Phillips and Raphinha having now gone, new heroes must win the hearts and minds of the Leeds fanbase. That has to be earned over time and one Wolverhampton swallow does not make a summer.

Over the course of a season, some are likely to do better than others, for sure. But if enough of Marsch’s summer recruits come through, it will quite possibly be the making of ‘his’ Leeds and also earn him full acceptance among any wavering followers.

“With the fans, obviously Kalvin was a big, big piece to that,” Marsch observed.

“And I think the fans also already identify very heavily with Liam (Cooper), Luke (Ayling), Stuart (Dallas) and Adam (Forshaw) and Patrick (Bamford).

“I think one of the things about all the new players that we brought in as well is they embody the idea of what Leeds wants to see, what the fans want to see on the pitch which is hard work with a greedy edge, a competitiveness, a will to succeed to do whatever it takes.

“Brenden Aaronson has that , no doubt, but so do Marc Roca, Tyler Adams and Rasmus Kristensen for sure and then fans are going to get their chance to see Luis Sinisterra who I think also is a big talent and somebody who I think they’re really going to attach themselves to as well.

“I hope the fans are identifying more and more with what we are trying to do currently with the team and who the personalities of the players are and how they can display that in the matches and they will obviously have more and more time.”

Aaronson and Adams are among the latest batch of USA internationals who have found their way to the Premier League after serving their apprenticeships in the MLS.

The premium division in the States once had a reputation for being a retirement home for fading European stars. Now it is increasingly recognised as being a breeding ground for some exceptional young talent.

Players like Aaronson –serenaded with chants of ‘USA, USA’ last weekend – showcase the MLS system well, with the respect that English fans have towards a once-derided league much higher than it once was.

Marsch commented: “I didn’t (hear the chant) but someone said against Cagliari that they had when Brenden went to take a corner kick or something and they were chanting that.

“Even seeing Tyler’s big banner on the stadium, I was a little surprised.

“But this is the beauty of Elland Road, just showing up there and feeling the passion of the club and the fans and the statues.

“There’s always flowers and scarves and last year too when we were in the relegation fight, there were flares and people outside welcoming us.”