Jesse Marsch on huge Brenden Aaronson praise and Archie Gray wish in Leeds United 'hero' search

Energetic summer signing Aaronson has quickly won the hearts of United's fan base and proved United's opening day saviour by forcing home the winning goal in last Saturday's 2-1 triumph at home to Wolves.

The strike was eventually given as a Rayan-Ait Nouri own goal, despite Aaronson clearly having made contact as part of a dazzling competitive debut in a Whites shirt.

Just two and a half months after joining the club from RB Salzburg, USA international midfielder Aaronson is already emerging as a strong contender to be the new darling of the Whites fan base who had to wave goodbye to their two biggest stars in Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips this summer.

Marsch, though, paid a glowing compliment to Aaronson when quizzed if he could become United's new saviour - and also believes there are plenty more within his team of all ages, all the way down to 16-year-old Archie Gray.

Asked if 21-year-old Aaronson could become the new club hero, Marsch pondered: "That would be cool. With the fans, obviously Kalvin was a big, big piece to that.

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

"And I think one of the things about all the new players that we brought in as well is that they embody I think 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 for me Marc Roca, Tyler Adams, for sure Rasmus Christiansen, and then they're going to get their chance to see Luis Sinisterra who I think also is a big big talent and somebody who I think they're really going to attach themselves to as well.

"And then for me, you've got a kid like Archie Gray coming up who is still only 16 but I would love to see that kid in a Leeds kit for 20 years.

"I hope that 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.

"But I can tell you as well that all the new players after the match, were just like, 'what an incredible experience to play at Elland Road' - the energy, the passion, how loud, when they cheer, how they cheer and you can't describe it unless you've experienced it and so I know that they have felt the passion of what this club is already."

Asked for an insight into Aaronson's character and his background, Marsch explained: "He's from central New Jersey, which if you don't know what that is, that's kind of like 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 this personality, that's never say die and he wants to win every duel in every situation and so his balance of who he is as a person and who he is as a player, I think he's nailed that and I think it's a big part of why he's had a ascension like he's had.

"I like to see him every day, I like to work with them, I knew his coach at Philadelphia was one of my best friends and 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."

So fierce that United's fans have immediately taken to the midfielder who now forms part of a double-pronged representation of USA internationals within United's side alongside Adams, not to mention their head coach.

Chants of “USA, USA” have even echoed from the Elland Road terraces over the last two weekends in the wins against Wolves and pre-season friendly opponents Cagliari.

Asked if he had heard them, Marsch insisted: "I didn't but someone said against Cagliari that they had when Brenden went to take a corner kick or something that they were chanting that.

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

"The club does a good job of, I think, marketing what our team is and who our players are and I'm not always sure why they do or who they do it but I loved going last year and seeing Illan's big face and whatever it is.

"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 and 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.

"What a club, it's great to be here and I just love it."