On July 29, 2026 it was announced that Red Bull New York has loaned goalkeeper Aidan Stokes to English Premier League team, Brentford FC through June 30, 2027.
Stokes is an 18-year-old New Jersey native, who attended Passaic Valley Regional high school, is a product of the Red Bull New York academy and signed a first team homegrown contract with Red Bull New York in 2023 that runs until Dec. 31 2027 with a club option for 2028, which was his first professional contract.
“Aidan has demonstrated tremendous growth over the past year, and this loan move provides an excellent opportunity for him to continue his development in a new and challenging environment,” said Red Bull New York Head of Sport Julian de Guzman.
The Totowa native has spent the last three seasons with RBNY’s MLS NEXT Pro side, Red Bull New York II where he has made 49 appearances. He made his MLS NEXT Pro debut on April 21, 2024. He really started to develop into a key player for the Baby Bulls in 2025, when he was named May MLS NEXT Pro Keeper of the Month for recording 13 saves across five starts. In his MLS NEXT Pro playoff debut on Oct. 19, 2025 Stokes held Carolina Core FC to one goal in a 5-1 victory.
Overall, for the Red Bull New York second team, Stokes has earned seven clean sheets (shutouts), made 145 saves, and earned a career 61.6 Saves Percentage in MLS NEXT Pro.
Stokes was the Red Bulls II’s number one goalkeeper for much of the 2025 season which would end with them winning MLS NEXT Pro Cup, although he missed the final three matches of that playoff run due to being called up to the United States’ U-17 National Team for the U-17 World Cup in Qatar along with first team forward Julian Hall, where he posted two clean sheets.
However, during that 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season, Stokes put together his most complete season. His six clean sheets were fourth-best in MLS NEXT Pro and his 55 goalkeeper saves were 11th.
Stokes will start on the roster of Brentford’s feeder club, Brentford B. On brentfordfc.com, he described what he thinks he can gain from moving to England.
“I’m at a point in my career, where I’m looking for somewhere to be challenged, somewhere to really help me develop and Brentford came along and we just knew right away it was the right choice for me and I’m very excited to get my journey started here.”
