Is Paxten Aaronson ready for an Eintracht comeback?

Paxten Aaronson has returned from his one-year loan spell at FC Utrecht in the Eredivisie. As Timmo Hardung already confirmed, the American international is part of Toppmöller’s plans for next season. After an impressive year in the Netherlands, Aaronson is expected to offer serious competition in midfield. The 21-year-old told SGE4EVER.de, that he turned into an "almost new player" during his time away, who is now ready to "become an important player for Eintracht Frankfurt". In this report, you’ll get an overview of Aaronson’s development at Utrecht and an outlook for next season.

Breakout Season at Utrecht 

Aaronson’s claim of having turned into a new player is by no means an exaggeration. During his time at Utrecht, Paxten took important steps in his development, even playing in a completely new position. Utrecht coach Ron Jans first used Aaronson as a left-winger, before converting the former attacking midfielder into a more defensive one a few games into the season in a tactical switch that proved successful. Throughout most of the season, Aaronson remained as a central midfielder behind a 10 in a 4-2-3-1 formation, as shown below:

Paxten Aaronson’s most commonly played position at FC Utrecht this season

Paxten Aaronson‘s heat map, showing the deeper role he played in (via SofaScore)

Aaronson has reached new heights in his new position, also claiming it’s now his favorite. The most remarkable improvement he’s made since his time at Eintracht is his defensive work. His tackling stats look incredible. This new strength enabled him to play in a deeper role for Utrecht, and will have hopefully made him into a more complete player overall.

Paxten Aaronson’s defensive stats from last season (via FBref)

However, Aaronson’s biggest strengths are still seen in his attacking actions. His dribbling abilities are outstanding. In his new position, Aaronson has excelled at carrying the ball from the defensive to attacking third of the pitch. In the following sequence, he gets the ball from his left back, turns and gets past two opponents, before attacking the last defensive line. Then he passes the ball out wide to his left winger, who plays the ball right back inside. Aaronson arrives in the box and scores with a neat finish.

Aaronson didn’t just create the chance himself, he also finished it. While his attacking output at Eintracht Frankfurt was nearly nonexistent, Aaronson has become a real finisher in the Eredivisie, scoring 9 goals. He also assisted 6 goals for his teammates, often through very creative plays, like vertical passes or progressive dribbles from deeper areas. 

Aaronson has also turned out to be a big game player, scoring against Ajax Amsterdam, Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar, all of the top 5 clubs in the Eredivisie last season alongside Utrecht, who finished fourth.

What now?

As said, Aaronson wants to become a key player for Eintracht Frankfurt next season. However, the competition for his position is extremely high. Due to his role switch at Utrecht, the 21-year-old is expected to play as a central (defensive) midfielder for us. Obviously, Aaronson can still play as an attacking midfielder too.

In Aaronson’s new favorite position, Hugo Larsson has quickly been turning into one of our best players. Toppmöller using both in defensive midfield is also unlikely, as they would both lack the physicality of a player like Ellyes Skhiri. Given Dahoud’s situation, Eintracht are even looking to bring in another defensive midfielder. Hojlund will also want to play more regularly. 

In a more attacking role, Aaronson wouldn’t have less competition; Mario Götze is aging like fine wine, while Uzun and Chaibi will also be hungry for minutes on the pitch. It seems like Aaronson will have to sit on the bench at first and try to prove himself through substitutions.

It remains to be seen whether Aaronson can continue his impressive form in a slightly more physical league. What’s sure is that even if he doesn’t become a key player, he will be a very interesting addition to Toppmöller’s options in midfield. With the high number of games coming up next season, he will definitely get some matches to prove himself. Aaronson’s creativity, work rate and energy also make him an ideal super sub, meaning he will definitely get his appearances, even if not as a starter. 

Do you think Aaronson will play a big role next season?