USMNT
MLS 2022 — Top 25 American U21s
Published
3 years agoon
Background
I have researched rosters, read preseason reports and watched film, all in preparation to decide who I think will be the most impactful U21 American players in the MLS in 2022. This isn’t a list of the most talented U21s in MLS (born in 2001 or later). It’s a list of who will have the biggest role and who will make the most of that role. This list is based on anticipated amount of minutes, system/style of play fit, the player’s talent level and their supporting cast. Injuries are something we do not hope for nor can we predict, but that will also play a massive role in what young players get an opportunity this season.
LIKELY STARTERS
1 | Gaga Slonina, Chicago Fire (2004)
Club Position: GK / Ideal Position: GK
Gabriel “Gaga” Slonina is a Polish-American who took over as Chicago’s #1 goalkeeper in September of last year at the very young age of 17. It’s very rare for goalkeepers to break through this young. Gaga is a special talent and it will be fun to see him develop this year as Chicago’s #1. He is already the USYNT U20 number 1 and has been called into multiple USMNT camps. Gaga tops the list not just because he is really good, but he is also going to play EVERY game, and while I think Chicago is improved, he is going to have a lot of work to do between the pipes. What’s crazy is that there very well respected analysts out there that think there is another 2004 Chicago goalkeeper with a higher ceiling, Chris Brady, who will likely be Gaga’s backup this year. Club Brugge was interested this winter. Major European clubs are awaiting, for both.
What makes him special
Gaga’s mentality and instincts for the game are pretty incredible for a 17 year old goalkeeper.
Key growth area
His shot stopping technique will continue to improve as he continues to get reps. The tools are there, he just needs to be a little more consistent.
2 | John Tolkin, New York Red Bulls (2002)
Club Position: LB / Ideal Position: LB
John Tolkin isn’t the most well regarded NYRB player on this list, but I think he is going to have the most impact because when he is fit to play, he should be a nailed on starter this year and he will be looking to build a case for a Euro transfer. John played a lot of minutes last year for NYRB and logged one goal and one assist playing LB, LWB and DM. His best position is definitely LB and with Andrew Gutman back to Atlanta after his loan with NYRB, I think John is going to be one of the best LBs in all of MLS. I think John is one of the most underrated USMNT prospects. I rate him above another 2002 LB that is playing in Germany, George Bello. There are reports that Leipzig brass are big fans.
What makes him special
John is a highly technical and instinctual player that knows how to work out of tight situations and read the game defensively. He is also a high level passer and crosser. I expect a 7+ assist season this year.
Key growth area
John doesn’t have the profile to be an elite athlete, but if he can get a little bit stronger and more explosive it will help him increase his ceiling a little bit.
3 | Caden Clark, New York Red Bulls (2003)
Club Position: CM / Ideal Position: AM
Caden Clark is a top 3 player within the 2003 US group. He can play as an 8, 10 or winger. Tom Bogert is projecting a 4-3-3 lineup for NYRB this year and he is also projecting that Caden will start as one of the 8s, which would be fantastic for Caden’s growth and his transition to USMNT. Caden told Tactical Manager in an interview that he played as one of the 8s in the December camp, but plays winger for the U20s.
He was off to a roaring start in MLS last season and was on his way to the 2021 Gold Cup before an appendectomy disrupted his season. He started to regain his high level form at the end of last season and looks to build on that and deliver more consistency this year. It’s been a little bit of a confusing offseason for Caden. He was purchased by RB Leipzig last summer and was planning to move on January 1 of this year, but Leipzig decided to loan him back to New York where both sides felt he could get more playing time and further his development. He is also going to be a key player for the 2023 U20 World Cup and 2024 Olympic qualifying that is happening this summer and being in the USA will make that easier to manage. If he consistently delivers his best stuff, he’ll be in the plans for Leipzig next year and should start garnering more USMNT looks.
What makes him special
His ability to create high quality chances in low probability situations, he is a high level playmaker, with very few glaring gaps in his game.
Key growth area
Consistency, Caden shows flashes of brilliant play, it just comes and goes too often right now.
4 | Cade Cowell, San Jose Earthquakes (2003)
Club Position: LW / Ideal Position: Second Striker
Cade was in and out of the starting lineup last year, but a consistent sub throughout the year. I’m betting on him solidifying a starting role, most likely as a winger, but potentially as a #9 and there are rumblings that he has been playing some wing back in preseason. I’d continue to play him as a #9 until he proves he can’t score consistently. It’s so hard to find high quality strikers, so if Cade can score consistently, that is where he would be most valuable. I like RWB as a plan B if the technical side never materializes too much. Cade will be another player that will play a key role this summer for the US U20s. My hope is he plays as a striker for that team because the depth behind Ricardo Pepi, who likely won’t play for this team, is very thing. If he is a little more consistent at the beginning of the season he will be on his way to Europe this summer or in January. He recently signed a contract extension with SJ and that will help in those negotiations.
What makes him special
His physical profile, Cade is a blue chip athlete with pace and strength that are hard to match.
Key growth area
He is still very raw technically. He shows flashes of dribbling ability, passing and finishing, but it’s highly inconsistent and pretty rough at times.
5 | Tayvon Gray, New York City FC (2002)
Club Position: RB / Ideal Position: RB
Tayvon was mainly a squad player that rarely saw the field for the majority of last season. Tayvon has been primarily a center-back in his academy and YNT days, but when Anton Tinnerholm went down with injury, Tayvon became the starting right-back. He played in every minute of all four of New York City FCs playoff games in route to a MLS Cup, with an assist in the Quarter-Finals against New England Revolution. A game where he also powered through the entire extra time period with injury. I am banking on Tayvon building on that and holding on to the starting RB job once Tinnerholm is back from his injury. If Tayvon has a big year, he may be another American that takes his talents abroad.
What makes him special
He’s a very strong 1v1 defender with a great mentality and awareness due to his youth experience as a central defender.
Key growth area
Tayvon’s ceiling is going to be based on how much he can develop offensively. I saw great strides in this area last year where he became a more effective piece of NYCFCs attack and showed the ability to deliver some dangerous crosses into the box.
6 | Moses Nyeman, DC United (2003)
Club Position: DM / Ideal Position: CM
Moses Nyeman is another talented 2003 that was being considered for the 2021 Gold Cup. Injuries have kept him from joining a recent US U20 camp, but I expect him to be a key player for that team this summer. If he is fit, he should be called to the next U20 camp in March. The big question for me is where he plays. He can play both the 6 and 8 position and the bigger need for the U20s is probably at the 6. For DC, he plays as one of the central midfielders in a 5-3-2. He was starting pretty consistently and coming off the bench last year, but he couldn’t shake the injury bug. It looks like DC is going to rely on youth early in the season and I think Moses is going to have a big role. He is one of the top 10 prospects within a very talented 2003 class.
What makes him special
He has great ball control through his touch, dribbling ability and understanding of how to use his body to protect the ball. He reminds me a lot of Yunus Musah in the way he can carry the ball to break lines, he’s just not quite as dynamic and powerful of an athlete as Yunus.
Key growth area
The easy thing to say here is his size, but I actually don’t think his size shows up often as a problem. He plays bigger than he is and appears to be naturally strong. I’d like to see him arrive more in the box and have more of an impact as a scoring threat.
7 | Leon Flach, Philadelphia Union (2001)
Club Position: CM / Ideal Position: DM
Leon Flach moved from St. Pauli in the 2. Bundesliga in Germany to Philadelphia last year and the move was a very positive step in Leon’s career. Leon had 34 appearances and over 2600 minutes last year for the Union, mostly as central midfielder and at times as a left-back. Leon is high on this list because he is a projected starter on a good team. He isn’t a high ceiling prospect that is going to put up huge numbers, but he is going to have a big impact on the team and he is going to log huge minutes.
What makes him special
He is a consistent, well rounded and low mistake player that makes him very reliable in the midfield.
Key growth area
He needs to develop an above average skill in either his passing and chance creation or his defensive cleanup ability as a more defensive minded midfielder. He’s good at a lot of things, but not really great at anything.
SPOT STARTERS / HIGH IMPACT SUBS
8 | Paxten Aaronson, Philadelphia Union (2003)
Club Position: AM / Ideal Position: AM
Paxten is the younger brother of USMNT and RB Salzburg standout Brenden Aaronson and Paxten is on a very similar trajectory as his older brother. Philadelphia manager, Jim Curtin, has been on the record stating that Paxten is further along in his development than Brenden was at this age. Many believe, including myself, that Paxten’s ceiling is higher than Brenden’s. He’s stronger and has the potential to be a better shooter/finisher. Add Paxten to the list of top 2003s that will be key figures in the upcoming U20 tournaments. Paxten started getting more regular minutes (590 in total) at the end of last season and his first of three was a very impressive goal. He might not get a lot of starts this year, but he’ll be a more consistent impact sub, probably in the area of 900 to 1,000 minutes and I think he’ll shine in that role. This could be the year he joins his brother in Europe.
What makes him special
Paxten is a very good playmaker and creative finisher. He has goals in his legs as they say. He also has that relentless motor that makes his big brother special.
Key growth area
Needs to continue to grow into his body and become stronger so he can take on the wear and tear of a full senior team season.
9 | Ted Ku-DiPietro, DC United (2002)
Club Position: AM, RWB / Ideal Position: AM
Ted is a late bloomer and late homegrown signing that really came on in the latter half of last season for Loudoun United. And what I say came on, I really mean came on. This guy has all of the tools you want in a half space, attacking player. He scored 7 goals and 3 assists for Loudoun last year and I think he is in store for a breakout campaign for a somewhat depleted DC United roster. He will start out as a sub, but I would not be surprised if he became a regular starter for DC United before the end of the year. If that happens, I also think he has the skillset to garner European interest. He’ll likely play as one of the attacking midfielders in DCs 3-4-2-1 system, but he can also play Wingback which will make him even more valuable as a sub. In USL, he logged minutes at every position outside of GK and CB for Loudoun, pretty incredible. If you are looking for a breakout candidate that nobody is talking about, I’d go with Ted.
What makes him special
There is a lot to be excited about. He is strong, fast, he is ball secure and has good dribbling ability and he also arrives well in the box and can score in different ways, but my favorite aspect of his game is his passing ability. He can break lines and he can find and execute that clever final ball that leads to big chances, something the USMNT is really missing through the middle of the field. Keep an eye on this guy!
Key growth area
For me, I just need to see him translate his game at a higher level in MLS. If he does, I think European interest and USMNT opportunities await.
10 | Aidan Morris, Columbus Crew (2001)
Club Position: CM / Ideal Position: DM
Aidan missed all of 2021 due to injury. In 2020, Aidan became a regular sub and spot starter for Columbus and played the full 90 in the 2020 MLS Cup in a 3-0 win for Columbus. I am very fascinated to see how big of a role Aidan plays for Columbus this year. They will likely work him back slowly as a substitute and I would bet Aidan earns a starting spot before the end of the year. Aidan is a very athletic and aggressive, defensive minded midfielder.
What makes him special
His overall defensive game is really fantastic. He has both good awareness, speed and tenacity which make him capable of being that single danger mitigating 6 that the USMNT needs depth at.
Key growth area
If he can become a more consistent and dangerous passer Aidan is going to be a really exciting player.
11 | Quinn Sullivan, Philadelphia Union (2004)
Club Position: CM / Ideal Position: AM
Quinn Sullivan is the second of four 2004s on the list behind Gaga. He is probably the most highly regarded 2004 player in the US player pool. He is another player that has been a consistent U20 callup over the last 5 months and will likely be a key center-mid option for Mikey Varas this summer. For Philadelphia, much like Paxten and Jack McGlynn, Quinn started to see more and more time with the Union last year and showed exciting flashes, including an overhead goal. He recently scored a banger for the U20s in a friendly vs FC Dallas. Quinn is one of the most likely candidates to move to Europe this year or next.
What makes him special
Quinn can really strike the soccer ball with his right foot. He’s a deadly shooter from all ranges. He also has a fierce, highly competitive mentality.
Key growth area
I’d like to see Quinn improve his off ball movement so he can get in more positions to use said deadly right foot.
12 | Brian Gutiérrez, Chicago Fire (2003)
Club Position: AM / Ideal Position: AM, WING
Brian might have been in line for a starting role before Chicago signed Shaqiri a few weeks ago, but even with that signing I expect Brian to have a significant role with the Fire this season and he is pushing for a spot on the US U20 roster. Last year Brian logged over 600 minutes and had an assist. He is a player that has consistently exceeded expectations as a prospect so it might be time to stop overlooking him. He is a bold, attacking playing that can play as a 10 and on the wing. After watching him at the Revelations Cup last year with the U20s, I couldn’t shake how much he reminded me of Matthew Hoppe. He’s fearless, confident and at times a little reckless, but I love his “go for it” mentality and he was one of the few bright players in the first game against Brazil.
What makes him special
I really love Brian’s mentality and the way he plays with reckless abandon. He is fearless and will try whatever feels right in the moment, it’s fun to watch.
Key growth area
I’d like to see him be a little more technically clean with the ball and a little more clinical. He’ll never be a super technical attacker, but a little improvement could go a long way with his confident mentality.
13 | Bryce Duke, Inter Miami (2001)
Club Position: CM, AM / Ideal Position: CM
Bryce was never able to get a consistent run of play from Bob Bradley in LAFC. There was a lot of midfield talent in LA and it didn’t seem like Bob trusted him too much. I think the move to Miami is going to be good for him. You never know what to expect when a young player moves to a new club, but Miami’s midfield is pretty underwhelming and Bryce should get a chance to be a starter in South Beach at some point this season. Bryce is true box to box midfielder that can provide value on offense and defense.
What makes him special
I really like the way Bryce distributes the ball and keeps it moving. He’s got a lot of different types of passes in his repertoire.
Key growth area
I would like to see Bryce become a little more goal dangerous. I think he has the skill set, he just hasn’t scored a lot of goals throughout his young career.
CONSISTENT SUBS
14 | Jack McGlynn, Philadelphia Union (2003)
Club Position: CM / Ideal Position: CM
Jack McGlynn is another Union prospect that saw a decent amount of time last year (600+ minutes) and with the Union trading Monteiro, he could be in for an even bigger role within the midfield. Jack is part of a very talented crop of 2003s and 2004s within Philadelphia’s system (they have five players on this list) and he is another player looking to make the U20 World Cup Qualifying team this summer. I am not as bullish on Jack as some analysts are. I am not sure the technical skills can overcome the physical limitations, but he’s still young and he could develop a little more, physically, as he gets older. It’s hard not to get a little excited about that smooth left foot.
What makes him special
He’s got a very talented left foot that he deploys as both a progressive passer and shooter.
Key growth area
I am hoping he can get a little quicker and stronger. If not, he’ll really need to develop a 6th sense for the game to overcome his mobility limitations.
15 | Matko Miljevic, Club de Foot Montréal (2001)
Club Position: LW / Ideal Position: LW, RW
Matko is an Argentinian-American who developed at the Argentinos Jr Academy in Argentina. There was a weird falling out with the club and after a long period of nothing, he was able to free himself of that contract and he signed with Montreal midway through the 2021 season. I wasn’t super impressed with what I saw from Matko last year. He seems to have lost some quickness from his Boca days and he’s looked a bit out of shape to me. He did one goal last year in five appearances. He was also brought in as a sub in Montreal’s CONCACAF Champion’s League match last week, so he is likely in for a fairly significant role. If Matko can return to his form of a few years ago he is a prospect worth keeping track of.
What makes him special
He has really quick feet which help be an effective 1v1 dribbler.
Key growth area
Fitness. He looked a bit out of shape and a little slow when I saw him in action for Montreal last year.
16 | Josh Atencio, Seattle Sounders (2002)
Club Position: CM / Ideal Position: DM, CB
Josh Atencio is going to be one of the key backup midfielders in Seattle’s 4-2-3-1 system. Last year Josh accumulated over 1,500 minutes and 18 starts because of a series of injuries to the Seattle midfield. I expect to see both of those numbers go down if Seattle has a little better luck. Cristian Roldan, João Paulo and Kelyn Rowe are all likely ahead of him in the depth chart and he’ll be competing with other talented prospects that narrowly missed this list: Danny Leyva, Reed Baker-Whiting and Obed Vargas. Even with this crowded midfield, he should carve out a nice role, especially late in games when Seattle is up and they need to preserve a lead. I still maintain that Josh’s future is at CB, but I’ve heard that Seattle sees him as a midfielder.
What makes him special
He has good defensive awareness, ball security and he can pick out a pass. He’s a little like James Sands with a thicker frame.
Key growth area
If he is going to stick in the midfield I’d like to see him be a bit more ambitious with his passing. He often sticks with the simplest safe play more times than not.
17 | Cameron Duke, Sporting Kansas City (2001)
Club Position: RB, CM / Ideal Position: RB
Cameron has played both as an 8 and as a RB for KC. Jaylin Lindsey is now with Charlotte and even though Graham Zusi is back for another year, he’s getting up there in years and you have to think there will be a fair amount of rotation happening at RB. The good news is I think RB is a better fit for Cameron Duke.
What makes him special
He’s a very pacey player that can break lines with his dribbling ability.
Key growth area
He’s small in stature and that makes him a little bit of a liability defensively, more specifically tackling and in duels. I’d love to see him get a little more consistently stuck in and add a little muscle mass to be more stout defensively.
18 | Ben Bender, Charlotte FC (2001)
Club Position: CM / Ideal Position: CM
Ben was the first overall selection by Charlotte as a Sophomore out of Maryland. At Maryland, Ben a United Soccer Coaches first-team All American after scoring 7 goals and 5 assists in his Soph season. I have not seen Ben play but from what I have read on him he is an intelligent and technical midfielder who is stronger on the offensive side of things. Ben should be able to compete for spot starts and bench minutes in the Charlotte midfield rotation.
What makes him special
Reports are that Ben is a very intelligent and aware midfielder. He is aware of his surroundings and threats and has the technical ability to create positive plays towards goal through dribbling, passing and movement.
Key growth area
Not sure, can’t find tape on him. Defense? We’ll find out.
BACK UPS WHO SHOULD GET AN OPPORTUNITY
19 | George Campbell, Atlanta United FC (2001)
Club Position: RCB / Ideal Position: RCB
If Atlanta was to continue with a three-back formation George would be higher on this list, but it sounds like Atlanta is going to move to a four-back, with two CBs. I don’t see George surpassing Franco anytime soon, but I expect him to get more spot starts than last year and If Miles transfers abroad this summer, that would open up a spot for George to be a locked in starter. It’s also possible that Atlanta uses the 3-back system in some matchups in which case George would be added to the starting lineup.
What makes him special
George is a big and strong guy that has the ability to dominate in the air both defensively and as a set piece weapon, but what I like most about his game is his passing. He can pick out and execute a long diagonal and he is consistently looking for a line breaking pass.
Key growth area
I have noticed a concerning trend with George that he gets caught up field too often and he doesn’t have the foot speed of someone like Miles Robinson to recover. He needs to be more selective with his decisions to press up the field. His profile is very similar to John Brooks, but right footed.
20 | Jalen Neal, LA Galaxy (2003)
Club Position: RCB, LCB / Ideal Position: RCB, LCB
It’s very hard for young CBs to break through because it requires a high level of physicality once you are playing on the first team. Jalen has been getting a bunch of praise from his manager this offseason and I think this could be the year he breaks through, if he does, he might be too low on this list.
What makes him special
He’s got a great feel for the game and a great touch and passing ability. He is one of the better ball playing CBs in the youth pool.
Key growth area
Like most young CBs, he needs to get stronger to be able to consistently compete with full grown, professional strikers.
21 | Isaiah Parker, FC Dallas (2002)
Club Position: LB / Ideal Position: LWB
Isaiah was the third pick in this year’s Super Draft out of Saint Louis University, selected by FC Dallas as a Freshman. At Saint Louis, Isaiah played as a winger and was a Top Drawer Soccer first-team Freshman Best XI team. He scored 3 goals and added 7 assists. For Dallas, the plan is for him to play LB as the primary substitute behind recently traded for Marco Farfan. Isaiah has been getting a lot of minutes in preseason and I think he’ll see a decent amount of time coming on for Marco. I am not super high on Farfan, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Parker pushes for that starting role this season or next.
What makes him special
Isaiah is a pacey, attacking minded player who loves to go at people one on one.
Key growth area
Isaiah is going to need to adjust to the pace of play and build an understanding of how to find solutions in his new position. He’ll also have to learn his various defensive assignments.
22 | Cameron Harper, New York Red Bulls (2001)
Club Position: LW, RW / Ideal Position: LW, RW
Cameron Harper is a Scottish-American who has spent some time within the Celtic Academy. Cameron is a true winger that likes to take defenders on 1v1. I was surprised Cameron didn’t get more time last year. He is a talented player with some intriguing skills. It looks like NYRB is moving to a 4-3-3 system that will leverage more traditional wing play and I think this will be beneficial to Cameron’s success at the club.
What makes him special
Cameron is a very talented dribbling and can consistently beat people in 1v1 situations
Key growth area
Cameron, like a lot of young wingers, needs to become more consistent with his final product.
23 | Daniel Edelman, New York Red Bulls (2003)
Club Position: CDM / Ideal Position: CDM
Daniel Edelman signed a homegrown contract with New York Red Bulls this offseason and was one of the last 2003 born players to do so. Daniel had a nice season with NYRB II last year as the primary defensive midfielder. He also has had a few call-ups with with U20 team. He will be competing with Danny Leyva and potentially Moses Nyeman for the “Tyler Adams” role within the U20 team. He is another player that will benefit from NYRBs move to a 4-3-3. Daniel has the range and tenacity to play the center defensive midfield position that is responsible for cleaning up mistakes in the backline. I expect to see him get regular minutes at some point this season.
What makes him special
Daniel has good pace and I love his defensive bite. He’s the type of play that can be that sideline to sideline cleanup man for the midfield.
Key growth area
He needs to develop a little more to offer going forward. I’d like to see him become a more consistent and aggressive passer.
24 | CALEB WILEY, Atlanta UNITED (2004)
Club Position: LB / Ideal Position: LB
Caleb Wiley is a big reason why Atlanta was comfortable with transferring George Bellow overseas. Caleb has shown an incredible amount of development over the last 1.5 years and became the primary LB for Atlanta II last year. With George Bello off to Germany, Caleb is in line for a role with Atlanta. Andrew Gutman will be the starter but I expect Caleb to earn some minutes and spot starts. Caleb is also very much in the mix for one of the two LB positions within the US U20 squad. This time next year he’ll likely be ranked within the top 10 of this list.
What makes him special
He’s a very good 1v1 defender both from an awareness standpoint and because of his size and speed profile.
Key growth area
He’s been developing nicely as an offensively player, but I’d still like to see him become a more effective crosser.
25 | Brandan Craig, Philadelphia Union (2004)
Club Position: CB, CDM / Ideal Position: CDM
Brandan Craig is the final member of the Philadelphia contingent on this list. Brandan has played as a center-back for the majority of his youth career, but his future might be at defensive-mid and that is his best chance to get minutes with Philadelphia this year. I do think this is the year Brandan breaks through and gets his first minutes with the senior Union team. Brandan was called into the last US U20 camp where he’ll likely play center-back. He’s got the technical ability to play in Europe. The question is whether his physical profile will keep him at CB or move him to DM.
What makes him special
He is silky smooth on the ball and he is a very good progressive passer.
Key growth area
He needs to fill out and get stronger so he is able to consistently compete with grown men.
Club Representation
Philadelphia (5), NYRB (4), Atlanta (2), Chicago (2), DC (2), Charlotte (1), Columbus (1), Dallas (1), Kansas City (1), LA Galaxy (1), Miami (1), Montreal (1), NYCFC (1), San Jose (1), Seattle (1)
Positional Representation (IDEAL POSITIONS)
AM (5), DM (5), CM (4), LB (3), CB (2), Wing (2), RB (2), ST (1), GK (1)
Age Group Representation
2003 (8), 2001 (8), 2002 (5), 2004 (4)
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Club News
American Transfers: Stock Up & Stock Down
Published
5 months agoon
September 9, 2024By
Zach McCabeThe 2024 summer transfer window closed on September 1st and over a dozen Americans made a move in the two-month span. These players range from youth players, like Mathias Albert, to veteran players like John Brooks. Some moves were great, and some were not. This article will review several of these transfers and determine if it was a stock up or stock down.
Sergiño Dest & Malik Tillman to PSV- Stock Up
Both Dest and Malik Tillman went on loan (with option to buy) to PSV in the Eredivisie at the start of last season. Both had a great season where they could have gone to a better league for this season. PSV decided to trigger both player’s buy option, making them permanent players for the Dutch club. These are good moves in my opinion because Dest had a regrettable loan to Milan two seasons ago and a difficult relationship with Xavi Hernandez.
Dest needs another season (in his case, half a season) with the Dutch club to develop, recover his young career, and show clubs that he can compete in the UCL. The same goes for Tillman, who needs to further develop his attacking, work rate, and ability to compete in the UCL. If both can replicate and/or take a step up from their performance from last season, they should return to a top 5 league. (Note: Bayern has a buy-back option for Malik Tillman)
Santiago Castañeda to Paderborn- Stock Up
The Tampa-born Colombian-American spent last season with the 3. Liga with Duisburg where he appeared in 31 matches with 2 goals and 2 assists. This season, he is with Paderborn, a consistent 2. Bundesliga club and he already has a goal in 5 starts across all competitions. This is impressive when you realize that Santiago will be turning 20 years old on November 13th. US fans (who do not follow USL closely) are just now learning about him and some probably have already written him off because of his background.
He is taking a similar path as Lennard Maloney, who played in both 3. Liga and 2. Bundesliga before moving back up to the Bundesliga. In Santiago’s case, he started with Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Championship before moving to Duisburg. To add to the move being a stock up because of moving up a league, he is also a CDM, a position that the US is lacking depth at. Other American CDMs who are in about his age (+/- 1 years old) are Daniel Edelman, Moses Nyeman, Marcel Ruszel, and Ethan Kohler (although, he is being converted to an RB) to name a few. If he continues down this path, he can become the #1 American CDM in his age group followed by Pedro Soma (who is 2 years younger than Santiago) in the next age group.
Paxten Aaronson to Utrecht- Stock Up
The Paris Olympian will be heading back to the Eredivisie, but this time, he will be joining fellow Americans Taylor Booth and Rickson van Hees at Utrecht. Paxten had a successful half season with Vitesse where he had 4 goals in 14 appearances. As a CAM, he is competing against Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman (both being only a year older) for a spot on the USMNT. Right now, he is not beating either one of them out, even with Gio being injury prone and Tillman’s lack of producibility for the USMNT.
Gio has had several occasions of great moments with the national team and Tillman is coming off a 24-goal contribution season. Going back to the Eredivisie would greatly help his development before heading back to Eintracht Frankfurt. Also, if he has a more productive season than Tillman, then there is an argument to make Paxten the #2 CAM for the USMNT. Currently, Tillman has 4 goal contributions in 5 matches across all competitions to Paxten’s 1 assist in 4 matches.
Caleb Wiley to Chelsea with loan to Strasbourg- Stock Up
This is one of the players who needed a move this summer and who was able to get an upgrade. Caleb Wiley arguably has the highest ceiling amongst our U23 LBs. Now, Strasbourg is employing him more as an LWB, which is, in my opinion, his best position. Last season at Atlanta, Wiley started as a LW that led to a fantastic form. When he moved to LB, he became inconsistent and stagnated, but he played more as a LWB and his form went back up. Along with that and with him turning 20 in December, he needed to get out of MLS.
We see what happens to players who stay in the MLS too long, i.e. John Tolkin, who has struggled to transition his club form to the USMNT, and Brandon Vazquez, who is now struggling to start for Monterrey and out of the USMNT picture. Playing in a top 5 league and being developed into an LWB can help him unlock his full potential. To add, Wiley already has 2 starts, a halftime substitution, and an assist for Strasbourg.
Rodrigo Neri to Atlanta 2- Stock Down
This is one of the most disappointing moves for those who follow the USYNT U20 team and the future state of the USMNT striker position. Neri’s young career has dramatically fallen in just one year. He was part of the Atletico de Madrid academy since 2021 but left their U19 team for Valencia U19 to now Atlanta 2. Based on Be Soccer, Neri had 0 goal contributions in just only 11 matches for both Spanish U19 teams. 7 games in and Neri already has 3 goals and 1 assist for Atlanta 2. This can either mean he has improved, returned to his Atletico U19 B form (where he had 17 goals in 32 matches), and/or that MLSNP is weaker than División de Honor Juvenil (the league that Atleti U19 is part of). Either way, we can already see that his lack of goals has impacted his international career.
The last time that he was part of the team was the U19/20 March camp against Morocco and England. He was left off the CONCACAF U20 Championship for Keyrol Figueroa and Marcos Zambrano. This is after being part of the U19 team that participated in the 2023 PanAm Games where he had 1 goal in 5 matches. Besides that, he had scored a goal against England and a brace against Norway when he was part of the U17 team in 2022. AS USA even had a piece on Neri back in 2022 calling him the next big thing for the US.
Usually, this far of a drop would almost take you out of the international conversation but knowing US Soccer’s habit of calling up MLSNP players like Sergio Oregel Jr., there is still a chance that Neri can be back in the conversation in time of the 2025 U20 World Cup. The only positive thing about this move is that it could help him get his career back on track.
Vaughn Covil to Las Vegas- Stock Down
For Covil’s career, this was the right move to make. For his international career, it only leaves the Philippines for him. His chances with England were never going to happen. 2-3 years ago, you could have said he had a chance with the US and even more with Canada with the right development. Now, he is better off committing to the Philippines if he wants to have an international career.
It’s a stock down move because it would’ve been better if he had made a deal with an EFL League 2 club than coming to the USL Championship and because he is limited to just one national team instead of four. Hopefully, he does well at Las Vegas and can get a call-up by the Philippines.
Jonathan Gomez to PAOK- Stock Down
This move is one of the most disappointing of all the transfers this summer by an American. While at Louisville and with the USYNT, he looked like a future LB/LWB option for the USMNT and another dual national battle with Mexico. When he went to Real Sociedad and after his successful loan to Mirandes in La Liga 2, things were in an upward trajectory. He left Real Sociedad (likely because they didn’t want to extend his contract, so they opt to sell him to make a profit) for reigning Greek champions, PAOK. When it should have been a positive that he will be playing in his first season at a 1st division, it is a negative because of it being the Greek Super League 1. PAOK is also in the Europa League and that should’ve been a positive for his career, but the Greek champions left him off their UEL roster.
He is still only 21 years old and if he does well enough for them, then he can move up to a better league in a season or two. At this moment, he has slipped out of the conversation to compete with Lund, Tolkin, and Wiley to be the future #1 LB/LWB. To make matters worse, Caleb Wiley’s 2024/25 season has started off well at Strasbourg with 2 starts and an assist. You could argue that during the 2023 U20 World Cup that JoGo was the better of the two at the LB/LWB position but now Wiley is above him on the depth chart.
Aidan Morris to Middlesborough- Stock Up
Like Caleb Wiley, Morris needed to leave MLS to further his development and avoid the situation that John Tolkin is in. Even though Morris has been underwhelming for the USMNT, he has the potential to be a consistent player of the 23-26 men roster. So far this season with Boro, he has been a standout and quick favorite amongst the fans. Going to the EFL Championship was one of the best choices he could have made as his next stop. The physicality of the league will teach him how to become more physical and his quick decision-making. The development could easily put him in the top 4 CDM options for 2026.
The biggest question for him is, can he transition his great club form to the national team. If he can pull it off, he can jump ahead of Lennard Maloney and Tanner Tessmann, depending on how he does with Lyon this season. This is a top 3 move by an American player not just because how the season is going so far for him but because Boro will be competing for promotion and development potential.
Tanner Tessman to Lyon- Stock Up
Tessmann’s transfer saga is one for the books. He was closely linked to Inter Milan and Fiorentina until both fell apart because of disagreements. Towards the end of the transfer window, he got a move to a top Ligue 1 club, Lyon. If he had stayed with Venezia, he still would’ve been playing in a top-five league, but Lyon is the better option. Venezia will be fighting to stay in the Serie A like they did in 2021/22, whereas Lyon is consistently a top 10 French club, and in many cases a top 5 club.
To add to that, Lyon is in the UEL. The season is not going well for Lyon right now, but they can recover and compete for UEFA qualification. The club and the fans will be more demanding than Venezia because of their prestige, he can learn from veteran players like Matic and Veretout and it would require him to compete for starts. It’ll be a real test for him after his last time in a top 5 league did not go as well and two great seasons in the Serie B.
All of these will help him take the next step and help him be in the top 3 CDM USMNT conversation. The battle Tessmann, Aidan Morris, Maloney, Johnny Cardoso, and Tyler Adams (once he returns) for the top 2 CDM spots on the USMNT will be a joy to watch this season.
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
The USMNT has had a solid track record with goalkeepers over the last three decades. There seems to be a problematic situation with their current group. Is this an overreaction or a real concern for the USMNT which is less than 2 years away from hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
The average age of the last seven USMNT goalkeepers to regularly start in one of the top two tiers in Europe is 27.5 years old and while it took several seasons for Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, and Brad Guzan to settle and have continued success they did while all having the opportunity to be the number goalkeeper for the USMNT.
Where there has been a lot of deserved criticism towards Matt Turner’s play with the USMNT lately it’s clear that he remains the best shot-stopper in the pool, but also clear that a transfer from Nottingham Forest is desperately needed to provide regular playing for Turner. Turner’s foot skills remain weak along with the rest of the USMNT goalkeeper pool very much an area that needs improving. Something they could learn from Tony Meola who was hands down the best USMNT goalkeeper with his feet.
Struggles also continue for Ethan Horvath whose transfer to Cardiff City last February was supposed to provide him with the needed playing time to push Turner for the number one goalkeeper spot of the USMNT but, his performance at Copa America didn’t inspire many, along with a recent match for Cardiff City where he conceded five goals.
November 27, 2022, in Doha, Qatar (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
USMNT Youth Goalkeepers
The current group of USMNT goalkeeper prospects appears to be solid, but if history has proven anything there are no guarantees. The list of the failed USMNT youth keepers over the last decade is long. It includes names like Joe Bendik, Alex Bono, Cody Cropper, Tally Hall, Clint Irwin, Dan Kennedy, and Luis Robles, of the over 15 USMNT prospect goalkeepers who have only been capped 18 times, eight of those held by Bill Hamid.
At the moment goalkeepers Antonio Carrera (20), Matt Freese (25), Chituru Odunze (21), and John Pulskamp (23) are on the outside looking in compared to the goalkeepers listed below.
Currently playing for Fulham U-21 Premier League 2 (Reserve League) Alex Borto (20) who was part of the 2023 U-20 World in May and June, but didn’t receive any playing time will need to increase his current playing time to get more opportunities but, I feel Borto is much lower on the youth USMNT depth chart at the moment.
A regular starter for the Chicago Fire over the last couple of seasons Chris Brady (20) is another highly touted USMNT goalkeeper, who has been held back from regularly being called into USMNT youth camps by his club. A move to Europe would provide him with the next level of competition needed to continue his growth as a goalkeeper.
Who would trust a now 18-year-old who hasn’t had any professional experience to start for the USMNT? Not many but Diego Kochen (18) who is currently with FC Barcelona Atlètic in the Third Division is a name that continues to be mentioned, but highly unlikely in my opinion.
As the starter for all four of the U-23 USMNT Olympic matches Patrick Schulte (23) has earned a call-up to the USMNT. Schulte has had a very strong season with the Columbus Crew which accounts for 8 clean sheets over all matches at the time of this article.
Many fans think Gaga Slonina (20) is the best U-23 goalkeeper in the player pool and is destined to be the number-one goalkeeper after the 2026 cycle. Slonina is currently playing in EFL League One the third division in England. Slonina was the starting goalkeeper for U-20 USMNT where he had four straight clean sheets helping lead the US to the quarter-finals. He also was part of the U-23 USA Olympic team but failed to receive any playing time.
October 4, 2022, (Photo by Christian Hansen/Chicago Fire FC)
Aging or Bridge Goalkeeper Options
The list of recent third and often injured USMNT goalkeepers Drake Callender (26), Roman Celentano (23), Sean Johnson (35), and Zack Steffen (29) provide little to no confidence when looking at a current solution and none are likely to break into the top two of the depth chart but, stranger things have happened in the world of USMNT goalkeepers.
Looking Ahead
With less than 2 years until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it’s unlikely that any of the younger USMNT goalkeepers will be able to play at higher levels and contend for the number one spot, which I believe still belongs to Matt Turner, but, Turner needs to do whatever possible to get a transfer to another top five leagues or worse case Eredivisie or EFL Championship as he needs to be playing matches every week to ensure he’s in form and improving headed into the World Cup with the backup position is up for grabs.
Gregg Berhalter’s time as the USMNT manager has come to an end. USSF has made the announcement that they have terminated Berhalter’s contract after 5 years in charge of the USMNT. There are many highs and lows during his time as manager with just as many praises and controversies. After the humiliating defeat at Couva during the 2018 World Cup Qualifying, there needed to be a change and the goal for 2022 was to qualify no matter what and how. It was understandable for many fans to let bad results during Berhalter’s first cycle because of the goal we had set for 2022. Now that we made it out of the group during the 2022 WC, the expectations for the USMNT would increase. Those expectations have not been fulfilled since the rehiring of Gregg Berhalter. Here are the top 10 reasons he had to go.
Crashing out of the 2024 Copa America
We were invited and given the rights to host the 2024, Copa America. The USMNT’s first time participating and hosting the tournament since 2016. The only players to appear in both tournaments were Christian Pulisic and Ethan Horvath. On paper, the 2024 squad was better than the 2016 squad in almost every position. Jürgen Klinsmann had a weaker squad but managed to reach the Semi-Finals in the 2016 Copa America. It is one of the biggest accomplishments for the USMNT in recent history. When you look at this year’s roster and what they did last year, the minimum goal should be the Quarterfinals and at most a Semi-Final appearance. The USMNT did not come anywhere close.
Players like Weston McKennie and Musah greatly underperformed. A lack of discipline cost us games, like Tim Weah’s red card, and the foul that led to the Uruguay goal. Against Bolivia, the USMNT only scored 2 goals against the worst team in CONMEBOL (1 win and a -10 GD in their WCQ campaign). Giving up a lead when a man down and ultimately losing to Panama should never have happened, especially against a team that the USMNT has only lost to at home 3 times since 1993. This put the USMNT in the worst possible situation in the tournament, a result against Uruguay and a win or draw for Bolivia.
Good news did arrive for the USMNT when Bolivia tied the game, but this led to Berhalter informing our players prior to a set piece about the score. This gave the indication that he wanted to chase for a draw, which has been a common theme during his tenure. You cannot rely on Bolivia to bail you out. You MUST go for the win. As Herculez Gomez said, it is a loser mentality.
People will blame the refs, Weah’s red card, or not having Dest, but that is not an excuse for poor in-game management by Berhalter. After the firing of Gregg Berhalter, ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle wrote an article where he said that our group exit from the 2024 Copa America is the first time the USMNT had been eliminated in the group stage of a tournament that was being hosted in the US. That is just one more stain on the legacy of Gregg Berhalter.
Poor Match Results
As mentioned, the poor result against Panama, a team we should have defeated even with a man down. There are plenty more matches to talk about. Since being rehired, Berhalter has a 7-1-6 record. The most infamous would be against Trinidad & Tobago away. Again, people will use the excuse that Dest got a red card, and it does not matter since we had qualified for the next round of the 2024 Nations League. That was a game you should not have lost even with a man down, more so than the Panama match. There are many other games that can be mentioned but let’s look at more record first. Berhalter has an overall record of 44-13-17. When playing outside of the US, the record is 4-7-8.
Against top 20 FIFA ranked teams, the record is 5-5-8. Four of those wins came against Mexico and the other being against Iran. When we compare him to Klinsmann and Bob Bradley against top 20 FIFA ranked teams, Klinsmann was 10-6-14 and Bradley was 9-5-15. For Bradley, only 3 of those wins were against the same team (Mexico) and 6 in total were against the same teams (2 times against Ecuador, Germany, and Mexico each) for Klinsmann. This record would make Berhalter the winningest coach by percentage in USMNT history, but there are important contexts to include. Jamaica was just seconds away from eliminating us in the NL Semi-Finals until an own goal by Cory Burke. The USMNT did rally to defeat them 3-1 in extra time, but it was still humiliating for the team.
Then you have the loss against Colombia before the Copa America where we lost 1-5. The last time the team conceded 5 goals was in 2009. A 1-3 defeat against Germany back in Oct of 2023 where we were not competitive at all. From June 5 to November 25, 2022, the US had a 1-5-1 record. The last match I will reference is the match against Honduras in San Pedro Sula where we had no control over the game in the 1st half. It was not until Ricardo Pepi helped save Berhalter’s job with 2 assists and 1 goal to give us a 1-4 win.
Tactics
One of the biggest problems that Gregg Berhalter has is in-game management and pre-game tactics. His go to formation is a 4-3-3, which is not always bad, but it is defensive minded and creates little chances. We have seen that over the 5 years of having him as a manager. During the 2022 WCQ, our goals per match were 1.5 and 1.8 during the 2021 Gold Cup. The goals conceded per match was 0.2 during that Gold Cup and 0.7 during the WCQ. Yes, statistically we would not concede a goal, but the USMNT was likely to only win 1-0. No one likes a 1-0 game, because not only is it boring, but it is risky. All it would take is for the opposition to score 1 goal to take 2 points from you. Make it a mission to get 2 goals every game to give you some breathing space. Berhalter also looks to park the bus, even when it is a tie.
Against Panama in the Copa America, Berhalter decided to park the bus when it was tied and with a man down at the start of the 2nd half. That is a high toll to ask the players to park it for 45+ minutes. You knew you were playing Uruguay next, and that Panama has a very good chance of beating Bolivia. A draw against Uruguay was going to be very difficult. Yes, we were a man down, but that does not mean we should have given up getting the 2nd goal. As we saw, we conceded a 2nd goal and it cost us to be in the worst possible situation in the group stage.
Besides parking the bus, Berhalter wants us to score primarily off the wings and from crosses. Against Jamaica during the 2024 NL, we attempted 41 crosses with only 11 being accurate. None of the 3 goals in that match came from a cross. Against Trinadad & Tobago at home during the QF of the 2024 NL, they went 11 for 39 on crosses. The first goal did not come until the 80th minute mark, which should never have come close to being a draw against Trinadad & Tobago at home. Only 1 of the 3 goals we scored in the last 10 minutes were from a cross. When BJ Callaghan led the team during the 2023 NL, our crosses were reduced to 17 attempts in both matches. In both matches, the goals came from up the middle where the team scored a total of 5 goals and 0 goals conceded.
It was some of the best football that this group of guys have played in the last 5 years. The players can score more goals than 1 and can score goals without crossing the ball. As we can see, Berhalter does not know how to react when things do not go to plan as we saw against Panama and against Colombia. A coach needs to be able to react and make the right call when things go sideways. That is a major weakness of his and pundits have pointed it out in the past. After Wales got their goal in the 2022 WC against the USMNT, Berhalter responded by substituting in Jordan Morris instead of Gio Reyna. Gio Reyna is a playmaker, Jordan Morris is not. At the time, the US did not have a playmaker on the pitch and that would be the time to use our best player in that role, Gio Reyna. That is not the first time.
During his 2nd cycle, Berhalter would commonly substitute Gio Reyna off when he decides to hold a draw or goes a man down. The US did not win a single game when Gio was subbed off. During the Copa America, Berhalter left Johnny Cardoso on the bench for Tyler Adams. Johnny was developed in Brazil and played in several Copa Libertadores and was a standout in LaLiga once he arrived. Tyler Adams only played a total of 138 minutes between the EPL and the EFL Cup last season (Adams was out for majority of the season due to injuries). Common sense would say to start Johnny Cardoso, but Gregg Berhalter did the complete opposite. Besides that, Weston McKennie had been playing poorly for the USMNT all year and looked visibly unfit during the Copa America.
Berhalter continued to start McKennie and gave him a total of 258 minutes. Berhalter continued to award McKennie with starts and minutes when common sense would say that he must be benched. Berhalter also had a major problem with rotating players and that had a major impact on the endurance of the players when it came to tournaments. It was noticeable during the 2022 WC and Copa America. These are all things that will be remembered by fans.
Player Selection
During his 1st cycle, Gregg Berhalter called up an astounding 65 different players in just competitive matches alone. During the WCQ, he called up 39 different players to the camps. Yes, after the 2018 cycle, the USMNT had to rebuild, but does it really require trying out 65 different players to figure that out? For the WCQ, 13 of the 39 did not make the final cut. I can understand making 2-3 changes every camp at the youth level, but this is the senior level. He had already been with the team for 2 years. He should have had a better idea who he needed to bring with him to the WCQ, which started in the Fall of 2021.
The changes in the WCQ roster make sense if there is an injury, but not all the changes were made due to injuries, i.e., Gianluca Busio and Paul Arriola. Berhalter had from 2019 to the Summer of 2021 to determine his WCQ roster and the alternate players. When creating a team, either for business or sports, you need cohesion, or brotherhood to Berhalter, to get the best out of the team when the results matter.
Continuously making changes for the most important competitive matches in your tenure will lead to problems. By the end of the WCQ, the USMNT tied for 3rd in points and only qualified through goal differential. The USMNT had a record of 7-4-3 with the away record being 1-3-3. Who knows what that record could have been if the roster was more consistent. Berhalter has improved his roster selection by focusing more on the players in Europe than the players in the MLS. The argument for having half the roster or more being MLS players because they were veteran players and the players in Europe were too young. It is an understandable reason, if that is the case.
He did make significant changes to the roster when he took back control of the team by removing Jordan Morris, Jesus Ferreira, and Cristian Roldan from the team. In this current cycle, Berhalter called up 36 different players in the 14 matches he oversaw. To note, 7 of the 36 are or were MLS-based players.
Achievements
Gregg Berhalter does deserve big credit to the achievements he made while the manager of the USMNT. While in charge of the team, he won the CONCACAF Gold Cup and won the CONCACAF Nations League in 2021 and 2024. Now, you can make an argument that the players had a bigger part in that, when this is the best generation of players we have ever had. Berhalter was still the manager and deserves the credit as well.
After the US failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018, Gregg Berhalter accomplished qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. It might not have been the prettiest World Cup for the USMNT, but the team did advance to the first round of the knockout stage. That will be a positive note for his legacy as a USMNT manager. The only thing that is missing from his list of achievements is a signature win.
There is one more piece to Gregg Berhalter’s legacy that will be remembered by many fans, but I doubt would be a footnote to his legacy (it would eventually be forgotten). That being his relationship with the players. I touched a little on in the “Tactics” section by awarding players starts and minutes when they did not deserve it, but it goes further than that. It is known and visible that Berhalter showed favoritism towards certain players, those being the players on the “leadership committee”. These players continued to play match after match when they did not deserve it or were too physically tired to continue.
Tyler Adams mentioned in a press conference during the 2024 Copa America that he never speaks to Berhalter about soccer outside of the camps. Whether with just a few or everyone, it is a concern that a coach does not speak to his players about the sport, on or off the field. During the Copa America, it began to look like the players saw Berhalter as more of a friend than a coach. It can be seen just as a fan by comparing the discipline of the players in the 2022 cycle to the 2024 cycle. That is a huge concern within a team because it creates complacency and that was visible during the 2024 Nations League and the Copa America.
On paper, Gregg Berhalter will appear to be a top USMNT manager in its history, but once you peel those away and look deeper, he would be ranked below the likes of Bob Bradley, Bruce Arena, and Jürgen Klinsmann.
American Transfers: Stock Up & Stock Down
Who’s a Keeper?
Gregg Berhalter’s Legacy
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