The 18-year-old US youth international joins Brentford B after building senior experience in MLS NEXT Pro and impressing at the Under-17 World Cup.
Brentford have signed New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Aidan Stokes on loan for the 2026/27 season.
The teenager will link up with Brentford B, and the deal includes an option for the Bees to make the move permanent if all goes to plan.
Stokes arrives at a time of change for Brentford, with the club’s Academy recently promoted to Category One status and a new chapter beginning in their development programme.
For the first time, Brentford will compete in Premier League 2 this season, giving Stokes the chance to test himself against some of the best academy sides in the country. The Under-21s are also set for a run in the EFL Trophy, with group games against MK Dons, Crawley Town and Bromley on the horizon.
It’s only been four years since Brentford reopened their academy, but they’ve already reached the highest classification. The club will keep running its B team alongside the new Category One setup.
Despite only turning 18 in January, Stokes has already clocked up a fair amount of senior development football.
He joined the New York Red Bulls academy as an Under-15 and worked his way up to the Under-17s, eventually signing his first pro deal in April 2023.
That contract saw him start out with New York Red Bulls II, but by 2024 he’d earned a spot on the MLS first-team roster as a homegrown player. His deal in New York runs through to the end of 2027, with an option for another year.
Stokes made his MLS NEXT Pro debut in April 2024 against Philadelphia Union II and went on to start 18 matches in his first full season at that level.
He made an even bigger impression the following year, starting 23 games and keeping six clean sheets from 55 saves.
His form didn’t go unnoticed. In May 2025, he was named MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Month after keeping two clean sheets and making 13 saves in five games.
There was also a standout moment in a shootout win over Carolina Core, where Stokes saved three penalties and then stepped up to score the winner himself in the tenth round.
He played his part as Red Bulls II lifted the MLS NEXT Pro Cup, and added another seven appearances at the start of the 2026 season.
Stokes’ progress hasn’t just been noticed at club level; he’s also caught the eye internationally.
The New Jersey-born keeper started every group game and the round-of-32 tie against Morocco for the United States at the 2025 Under-17 World Cup.
He kept two clean sheets and conceded just twice in those four games, later earning call-ups to the US Under-18 and Under-19 squads.
Thanks to his family background, Stokes has also played for Wales at Under-16 level and made an appearance for England’s Under-17s.
His arrival gives Brentford another young option between the posts as they prepare for a much busier fixture list.
Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy will offer Stokes a real test, facing both top academy talent and senior EFL sides. Brentford will use the season to see if he can stake a claim for a longer-term future in West London.
