The 2024-25 English Football League Championship has three weeks left in the season, and several US men’s national team players are still hoping to be promoted.
Brenden Aaronson, Haji Wright, and Josh Sargent are just three American players competing to help their respective clubs gain promotion to the English Premier League.
In addition to these three players, Aidan Morris, Caleb Wiley, and Daryl Dike are battling it out in England’s second tier.
Aaronson is the only American who could earn automatic promotion to the EPL, while the other five players are still in contention for a top-six finish and a playoff berth.
Here’s a closer look at each player and where their team stands with four match days left:
Brenden Aaronson
Brenden Aaronson is the only American player involved in the automatic promotion race.
Aaronson and Leeds United lead the EFL Championship with five games remaining. Daniel Farke’s team has a more favorable schedule than Sheffield United and Burnley, who are both vying for the top two spots.
Three of their final four matches are against teams in the bottom half of the league standings.
Aaronson has nine goals and two assists this season, and with points at a premium for Leeds United, he will undoubtedly need to step up. The Yorkshire club lost the playoff final last season and cannot afford to miss out on automatic promotion again this spring.
Current Position: 1st, 88 points (5 points clear in automatic promotion race)
Remaining Schedule: at Oxford United, vs. Stoke City, vs. Bristol City, at Plymouth Argyle.
Haji Wright
Coventry City is just barely hanging on to the final promotion playoff spot.
Frank Lampard’s side is up against several top-six contenders, including Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion, Millwall, and Watford. Wright has 11 goals for the Sky Blues, continuing his dominant performance in England’s second tier.
Coventry City will face difficult opponents in West Brom and Middlesbrough, while relegation-threatened Plymouth Argyle and Luton Town present much easier challenges.
Dropped points against Hull City on Monday night may come back to bite the Sky Blues in the rear.
Current Position: 6th, 63 points (3 points clear in promotion playoff spot race)
Remaining Schedule: vs. West Bromwich Albion, at Plymouth Argyle, at Luton Town, vs. Middlesbrough.
Daryl Dike
West Bromwich Albion has the most worrying run of form of the six clubs mentioned.
The Baggies ended a three-match losing streak with a 2-1 victory over Watford on Saturday, but they remain just behind Coventry City in sixth place.
Daryl Dike has only made six appearances this season due to injury, but he has recently returned and has been used as a substitute. The 24-year-old could have something to prove ahead of an intriguing summer.
Current Position: 7th, 60 points (2 points back in promotion playoff spot race)
Remaining Schedule: at Coventry City, vs. Derby County, at Cardiff City, vs. Luton Town.
Aidan Morris
Middlesbrough is still just behind Coventry City for the final promotion playoff spot.
Aidan Morris, 23, has played a significant role in Michael Carrick’s squad this season, making 31 league appearances and contributing two assists. The two-time MLS Cup winner has made a smooth transition to Teesside, giving Middlesbrough a chance to advance.
Back-to-back games are scheduled against struggling Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday.
Their season finale against Coventry City could have a significant impact on who finishes sixth, but Carrick, Morris, and the rest of the Middlesbrough players will be hoping that their spot is secure by then.
Current Position: 8th, 60 points (2 points back in promotion playoff spot race)
Remaining Schedule: vs. Plymouth Argyle, at Sheffield Wednesday, vs. Norwich City, at Coventry City.
Caleb Wiley
Watford has improved in recent weeks, giving them a chance of making the top six.
Caleb Wiley has also picked it up, starting the last three matches for Tom Cleverley’s squad. The 20-year-old Chelsea loanee recently provided his first assist against Hull City, playing an impressive 90 minutes.
Watford’s upcoming match against Burnley is one of their toughest fixtures in the final four weeks, but if they pick up points there, the Hornets could finish the season on a high note.
Current Position: 11th, 56 points (6 points back in promotion playoff spot race)
Remaining Schedule: vs. Burnley, at Portsmouth, at Blackburn Rovers, vs. Sheffield Wednesday.
Josh Sargent
It might be safe to say that anything less than three points for Norwich City this weekend will effectively end their top-six hopes.
Josh Sargent has done everything he can for the Canaries, but Johannes Hoff Thorup’s team’s second-half inconsistency has really hurt them. Sargent has 14 goals (third most in the Championship), while Borja Sainz leads the league with 17.
However, four losses in their last six games have put the Canaries in a difficult position.
Current Position: 13th, 53 points (9 points back in promotion playoff spot race)
Remaining Schedule: vs. Portsmouth, at Millwall, at Middlesbrough, vs. Cardiff City.
