

Club News
The Core Players 2023 u20 and u17 World Cup Cycles
Published
4 years agoon
By
David KerrSadly the 2021 u20 and u17 World Cup cycles have been cancelled due to COVID-19. This is very unfortunate for all the players and families who were involved in the cycle, but all the players still retain their Youth National Team (YNT) eligibility as all players will still be contending for a spot on the 2024 Olympics rosters which will consist of players born in 2001 and later. It is sad to see these players miss out on a lifetime opportunity, but all the players involved in these cycles will now have more time to establish themselves at their clubs and continue growing their budding professional careers. They’ll also be look at the 2023 u20 and u17 cycles.
Now, it is time to look to the future. The new YNT cycles are officially underway and folks, there is a lot to be excited about. The new cycles are targeted for the 2023 u20 and u17 World Cup’s which will be hosted in Indonesia and Peru. The new u20 cycle will be focused around the 2003’s and will be supplemented by the elite 2004’s and 2005’s while the new u17 cycle will focus around the 2006’s and will feature a few of the elite 2007’s.
The now concluded u20’s which consisted of the best 2001’s-2003’s were one of the most talented cycles that the USA has ever fielded. We had significant offensive and midfield depth and had numerous prospects, like Gio Reyna and Yunus Musah, who are making waves in Europe. Every position in the cycle except the center backs were absolutely stacked with talent that should quickly make an impact in the USMNT, but we will talk about that at another time. The new 2023 u20 cycle composed of the 2003’s-2005’s is shaping up to be an even better collection of talent. I expect to see a lot of players in this cycle break through in Europe before their World Cup happens in the Summer of 2023. Every position in this cycle is loaded with talent and over the next 2.5 years we will see many new names break through that are not even on the radar yet.
The previous u17 cycle was not quite as talented at their u20 counterparts were but was still a cycle that had a lot of built-up excitement and anticipation. Players like Malick Sanogo and Evan Rotundo had very high expectations and it is a huge letdown to not see what they would have been able to do on the World Cup. However, the 2006’s look to be a far superior collection of talent compared to the 2004’s or any other age group that the USA has produced. There are a lot of extremely talented players who have very, very high ceilings who I think have enormous potential.
In this article we are going to look at the “core” players of the new 2023 u20 and u17 cycles. These are the players who I think are going to be the key pieces of their cycles and who should see the rosters built around them. Some of these players for the 2023 u20 cycle could end up not being involved at all and instead jump directly into the USMNT player pool like Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Josh Sargent, and Gio Reyna. We will first dive into the u20’s and then the u17’s. We will work through the players by position starting with the goalkeepers and ending with the strikers. Keep in mind that over the next 2.5-3 years a lot will change, and new names will become core pieces for these cycles.
If a position is not covered in the 2023 u20 or u17 cycles that means that the roster spots are completely up for grabs and there is no one who has solidified themselves as a lock. Also, just because a position is not covered does not mean it is a weak spot, the 2003’s and 2006’s are the best age groups the USA has produced so far and do not have any weak positions.
The Core Players of the 2023 u20 Cycle
Mauricio Cuevas
Mauricio Cuevas should be the starting right back for the new cycle. Mauricio has been a consistent starter and leader for the 2003’s and is by far the best option that we have at right back. Mauricio constantly creates danger on the right side of the field and should be the set piece taker as he has shown in his USL games with the LA Galaxy II that he is lethal from set pieces. This cycle has many options at right back, but I have a hard time seeing any of them surpassing Mauricio any time soon as he is just too good of a prospect. Mauricio currently has his eyes set on Europe and with two full years of development overseas that he will have I am confident that Mauricio will be a lock for this 2023 u20 cycle. Mauricio is unlikely to move up to the USMNT because of players like Sergino Dest, Reggie Cannon, Julian Araujo, and Bryan Reynolds so get used to seeing Mauricio be in every u20 roster for the next 2.5 years.
Justin Che
Justin Che is the next player who I think should be a consistent fixture in this cycle. Justin Che is the first of many FC Dallas products that will be discussed in this article and will be one of the first names to be chosen at center back. For a 2023 u20 cycle, having versatility plays a huge role in keeping your name on the team sheet and this is a huge reason as to why I think Justin is going to be a core player for this cycle. Justin for me is a starter at center back and if Mauricio Cuevas is unable to be on the field Justin would be very likely to slot over and fill in at right back where he could project at long term. At FC Dallas where the kids are given a chance and Europe is constantly monitoring Justin should see a lot of success in his club career which should cement his place in this cycle.
Bryan Okoh
Bryan Okoh is one of our many Yanks abroad currently at Red Bull Salzburg where he is starring in their academy and quickly progressing up the ladder and should become a first team contributor in the next year or two. Bryan was the best left center back in the 2021 cycle and if he decides to choose the USA over Switzerland, Nigeria, and Congo then he is a guaranteed starter for our 2023 u20’s. The only worry with Bryan is that we may not see him rep the red, white, and blue but with Gregg Berhalter, the Nick Saban of dual-national recruiting, on his trail I am relatively optimistic that we could see Bryan give the USA a shot. Should we sway him, Bryan is a lock in the 2023 u20 lineup.
Jonathan Gomez
The next FC Dallas product in this cycle is Jonathan Gomez. JoGo is chiseled in stone into the starting lineup for the 2003’s and is so talented that I would not be surprised to see him become the starting left back for the USMNT by the time that the 2023 u20 World Cup actually happens. There is not an aspect of his game that is weak, and he is guaranteed to be heading over to Europe when he turns 18 in September where he should quickly break into the first team of whatever club is fortunate enough to secure his services. Unless there is a left back that no one is currently aware of in Europe (which there could be) JoGo is a guarantee to be the starting left back in this cycle.
Moses Nyeman
Midfield spots are going to be a cutthroat battle for the new 2023 u20 cycle because there is a ridiculous amount of depth for the new cycle but one of the few players that I think is a lock is Moses Nyeman. Moses is one of the most technically and tactically gifted prospects to come out of the now extinct Development Academy (RIP) and in the second half of the 2020 MLS season fans started to see why Moses is so highly regarded by every scout, coach, and fan in the DC United and USYNT circles. Moses physically is a late bloomer but over the next 2.5 years we should see him fill out and become a terror on the field for DC United. No other midfielder in the 2003 age group can read the game like Moses and once Moses secures his citizenship, he should be an auto callup for the cycle. Moses could be one of the players who summits to the USMNT before the cycle is over as he is that talented.
Caden Clark
The other midfielder who is a lock for the new cycle is Caden Clark. Even the fans who don’t pay attention at all to the youth national teams know who Caden Clark is after he signed for the New York Red Bulls first team and scored numerous bangers and instantly became one of the hottest young American prospects. Caden also has a contract clause that will send him over to Red Bull Leipzig in January 2022 where he should follow the path that Tyler Adams has trailblazed and become the next young American to become a regular in a Champions League side. Caden is explosive, creative, flashy, and create dangerous chances out of half chances and is a player unmatched in the attacking midfield depth chart for the 2023 u20’s. Because of Caden’s trajectory and future move to Leipzig Caden has a very realistic chance at skipping the u20 cycle and jumping directly into the USMNT depth chart. Watch out folks, this kid has a bright future ahead of him.
Dante Sealy
The only player in this 2023 u20 list that I was hesitant on adding but caved and did include is Dante Sealy. My inconsistency with this is very similar to how Dante has performed on the field over the last few years. The current FC Dallas winger and son of former FC Dallas player Scott Sealy has struggled with maintaining a consistent form in his academy and professional appearances. However, when Dante is on, he is by far the best winger in the 2003 player pool and an absolute force at the youth international level. Young players often struggle with consistency and Dante is one of those but if he can overcome this then he will be the first winger in the lineup and potentially the team’s most dangerous attacker like he was at the 2019 Nike Friendlies where he was prolific. Dante must break in and be a consistent starter for Dallas and get sold to Europe if he wants to stay relevant in this cycle, but he has the talent to do so. Until Dante proves us otherwise in a game, he must be a starter in this cycle because he is just too good not to be. Dante’s only worry is that the next highlighted player could force him out of the lineup.
Kevin Paredes
Another winger who must be included in every camp he is released for is Kevin Paredes. The first young homegrown at DC United to be given a chance by Ben Olsen in 2020 and Kevin played his way into being a consistent name on the DC United team sheet and into the 2003’s first choice roster. Kevin can play on both wings and if need be at left back for the 2023 u20 squad. Kevin, like Dante Sealy, prefers to play on the right wing where he can cut in and create danger on his preferred left foot. Kevin is likely to either start as one of the two wingers or be forced to come off the bench because of the next player that will be highlighted. At the rate Kevin is progressing Europe will come calling which will only help him elevate his game. Kevin has been a consistent name in the squad for the 2003’s and there is no reason to believe that he won’t be going forward.
Cade Cowell
The third winger who has cemented a place into the first-choice roster of the 2003’s is physical specimen Cade Cowell. Cade is the first homegrown from San Jose to go from the academy directly into the first team and start to get minutes. The lack of success from the other young San Jose academy graduates goes to show that Cade was not handed a place in the first team, he earned it. Cade has shown in his first MLS season why San Jose gave the young 17-year-old a chance and he has not looked out of place at all. Cade is another winger who is progressing so quickly that it would not be surprising to see Europe come calling. I expect to see Cade starting on the left wing for the 2023 u20 cycle and I have a very hard time seeing anyone unseating him over the next 2.5 years unless we recruit a currently undiscovered dual-national in Europe.
Ricardo Pepi
Ricardo Pepi should be the first name that comes to everyone’s minds when they think of the 2003 age group. Ricardo was likely to play up and either be the starter or the backup striker for the 2021 cycle. The walking goal machine has been a prolific scorer at any level that he has played at and is starting to break into the FC Dallas first team. Over the next 2.5 years we are likely to see him become a consistent starter and see FC Dallas sell him to Europe after he goes off on a scoring tangent in one of the upcoming MLS seasons. The only way Ricardo is not involved in this cycle is if he is so successful with his club that he is either withheld from camps and tournaments or he will jump right into the USMNT pool which does not have many truly established striker options.
Malick Sanogo
The other striker who we should be a constant fixture in the 2023 u20 roster is Malick Sanogo. Malick is currently at Union Berlin where he has been virtually unstoppable for their u17 academy team. Malick leads all 2003’s and 2004’s in points except for future Ballon D’Or winner Youssoufa Moukoko. Recently Malick was pulled up to begin training with the Union Berlin first team and is currently on track to be one of the next 2004’s to become a regular in the Bundesliga. If Malick decides to rep the USA over Germany and Nigeria, then he will be a lock for any u20 roster. Like Ricardo Pepi, the only way Malick would not be on a roster is if he is withheld from the squad by his club or he has broken into the USMNT depth chart.
Core Players of the 2023 u17 Cycle
Julian Eyestone
FC Dallas have done an amazing job at developing players but sometimes they get lucky and have an absolute gem get dropped into their homegrown territory. That gem is 6’4 goalkeeper Julian Eyestone. There are not many holes in Julian’s game. He is stall, good with his hands, decent at distribution, and a good shot stopper. In my opinion, this is the most talented goalkeeper prospect in the YNT pool and a rare goalkeeper talent. Julian has already been training with North Texas SC and is surely going to be one of FC Dallas’ next homegrowns. Unless the next player has anything to say about it, Julian is a guarantee to be the starting goalkeeper for this u17 cycle.
Diego Kochen
When an American gets accepted into La Masia they will always be given a chance in our youth setup. Diego may even potentially be good enough to overtake Julian as the starter for the 2006’s but that is something that we will have to wait and see on. However, it is super rare that a goalkeeper prospect is moved abroad into La Masia at such a young age and given the benefit of the doubt that he will be one of the two goalkeeper locks for this cycle like what Damian Las and Chituru Odunze were for the 2002’s cycle in 2019.
Matthew Schenfeld
Matthew is the first FC Cincinnati prospect with the potential to be a big-time contributor for a youth national team. Matthew is athletic, skilled, and a good 1v1 defender who has been a clear standout in the multiple games that I went and saw in person in the fall. Matthew is very likely to get moved up to the u17 academy level where he should fit right in and be a rock in the back and a threat in the attack. The slick fullback is the early standout so far for the 2006 age group and should be the first name in the roster for the right back position going forward.
Javen Romero
Lining up on the other side of the back four is LAFC left back and center back Javen Romero. Javen is an absolute beast on the field and whether he lines up at left back or center back is by far the best defender in any competition that he has been in. Big, strong, and clean on the ball, Javen has all the makings of a very good professional defender with a bright future. With LAFC’s academy and first team staff Javen should keep progressing well and become a staple in the 2006’s top choice lineup. Players like Connor Stout and Henry Canizalez are going to push him over the next three years, but I do not see Javen getting surpassed in that time.
Matthew Corcoran
The other blessing from above to the FC Dallas academy is Matthew Corcoran. Matthew is the most talented player to step foot in the FC Dallas academy and in my opinion, the gap from him to the runner up (obviously Weston McKennie) is not even close. I think Matthew is not only the best 2006 but he should also be the captain for the u17 cycle. Matthew may be the best defensive midfield prospect since Michael Bradley and in conversations many have suggested that he will likely be even better. The gifted youngster has a large passing range, is athletic, an IQ that is on par with professionals more than 10 years older than him and is defensively adept. There is not a weak point in this kid’s game, he already has numerous European clubs that are chomping at the bits waiting for him to turn 18. This is the once in a lifetime prospect for the FC Dallas academy and if he stays injury free, Matthew is destined for great things. If I was a betting man, this is my choice for the youngest player to make the 2026 World Cup roster.
Mark Cajamarca
Mark Cajamarca is another immensely talented defensive midfielder who currently is at the NYCFC academy. Mark is the best prospect in the NYCFC 2006 age group and is full time playing up with their 2005’s. Mark is short and stocky but moves around the field with ease and has an absurdly wide passing range that most professional defensive midfielders would love to have. The only unfortunate thing for Mark is that he will be behind Matthew Corcoran in the depth chart but the gap from these two to the next defensive mid is massive, so he is a lock for this age group’s roster.
Adrian Gill
When you are named as a standout in FC Barcelona’s La Masia then you are obviously going to be a lock for a youth national team roster. Adrian is America’s version of Andres Iniesta and at the rate he is progressing he could break into the FC Barcelona first team. Although he is not quite as talented as the actual Andres Iniesta, Adrian is still a gifted center mid who should be a good bet to be the starting 8 in this age group. Although, for as talented as he is Adrian does have two other very talented competitors so he will have to stay at the top of his game to keep his name in the roster.
Bento Estrela
One of the other center midfielders who will be competing with Adrian Gill for minutes is physical freak Bento Estrela. Bento has been playing with the New York Red Bull u19’s (2002’s) this fall and has been their best player and reportedly has been offered a homegrown contract by the club already at 14 years old! This is not very shocking considering Bento is too good for the academy level and needs to be playing against men to give him a challenge and push his abilities. Bento also has access to a Portuguese passport so Bento is very likely to head overseas midway through this cycle when he turns 16 where he could be the 2006’s early breakthrough in a European first team. Bento does need to work on staying locked in for 90 minutes and work harder defensively but when he plays against men these issues should quickly be resolved or he will be punished quickly. There is no way that Bento does not make every roster for this u17 cycle unless he is withheld by his club.
Aaron Heard
The third highly talented center mid in the 2006 age group is Aaron Heard. Aaron Heard is the one that got away for the Philadelphia Union academy where he was noticeably their most talented prospect. Aaron is another center mid who can do it all and is too good to play in his own age group. Aaron recently left the Union academy for family reasons and has been training with Phil Gyau in increased focus one on one sessions which will only help further progress his abilities and propel his career. Aaron’s current weakness is that he is very small for his age but with his father reportedly being 6’4 it is only a matter of time until Aaron hits a growth spurt and is physically ready to compete against grown men. Tab Ramos said multiple times that for a youth national team you need to have the best players involved even if it means playing a player or two out of position and therefore, I think we are likely to see Aaron Heard, Adrian Gill, and Bento Estrela all be consistent call ups for this cycle. Plain and simple, all three center midfielders are just too good to not be in a first-choice roster.
Axel Perez
This is a choice that many could view as a hot take, but I will stand firm in my choice because Axel is an extremely talented player. Axel has previous youth national team experience when he participated and stood out in the Eastern 2005 I.D. camps. For a 2006, this would be an impressive accomplishment, but for a 2007 this is baffling. Axel is the likeliest 2007 to play up with the 2006’s and for good reason, the kid has got game. Axel is a cerebral attacking midfielder who is skilled and despite constantly being the smallest player on the field, always finds a way to be the best player on the pitch. Playing up because the way you read the game and your ability on the ball are simply too good to play any less than two years above your own age despite being undersized and not physically ready to play up shows that Axel is a significant talent. There is a very good reason for why Inter Miami has used Axel in all their initial marketing cameos for their academy and that is because Axel is good enough to eventually be the face of their club. There are some very talented attacking midfielders in the 2006 age group, but none have impressed me quite like this kid has and once Axel starts to grow, he is only going to get better.
Bajung Darboe
So, it turns out that Bento Estrela is not the only physical freak in the 2006 age group, Bajung Darboe is as well and like Bento, Bajung also has the skill to back up the hype. Bajung is yet another player in the 2006 age group who is simply too unfair to play against kids his age. Bajung is borderline too good to even be playing at the u17 level (2004’s) where he has been stellar ever since moving to the Philadelphia Union academy mid-Fall. Bajung was the best player on the Minnesota u17’s last year where he was playing three years up. Bajung is tall and lanky but actively working to add muscle to his frame all the while he keeps growing in his tactical and technical sides of the game. There is a Grand Canyon sized gap between Bajung and the second-best winger in this age group and if Bajung wants to be in camp there is no way he will not be called up. The Philadelphia Union have had a plethora of talent come through the first team lately but none of those players have near the potential that this kid does. Some kids are just born with a natural gift to play the game and Bajung is one of those kids.
Gael Medrano
Gael Medrano is another Philadelphia Union academy standout and a lock for the 2006 cycle. While Gael may not be quite as talented as Bajung, Gael is still quite the talent himself. While the striker role for the USMNT has been a question mark the last few years, for the 2006’s it really isn’t up for debate. Gael should be the starting striker and the role is his to lose. Before Gael moved to the Philadelphia Union there were a few striker prospects who really impressed me in the 2004 and 2005 age groups and Gael came in and surpassed all of them instantly and cemented himself as the top striker prospect in the Union system. Gael and Bajung should be moving up to the USL soon and eventually will be signed as homegrowns and will be constant call ups for the new u17 cycle.
Michael Luande
While Gael Medrano does have possession of the starting striker role, he isn’t a guarantee to keep the job and that is because of Seattle Sounders Academy standout Michael Luande. Michael is tall, fast, and strong and the complete striker package. Michael, like Axel Perez, also had the opportunity to play up in a youth national team when he was called into the Western 2005 I.D. camp. This is because the young attacker has been dominant at the academy level and has the direct path to professional soccer being in the Sounders academy. Michael is all but a guarantee to get USL minutes next year and eventually sign a homegrown contract for the Sounders and hopefully become a prolific goal scorer in MLS and make his way overseas. Michael and Gael are the early standouts at striker and are the players to beat if anyone else (and there are others) wants to stake a claim in the new u17 cycle.
Club News
American Transfers: Stock Up & Stock Down
Published
5 months agoon
September 9, 2024By
Zach McCabe
The 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.
Club News
The Top 10 Americans in Europe this Season
Published
8 months agoon
June 10, 2024By
Zach McCabe
The season is over for most of the major European leagues and compared to last season, this was a better season for Americans in Europe. The US had several Americans win a trophy this season or were promoted with their club. Both Tim Weah and Weston McKennie won the Coppa Italia, while Cameron Carter-Vickers won the double in Scotland. You also had Nick Gioacchini, Gianluca Busio, and Tanner Tessmann gain promotion to Serie A in their respected clubs. In this article we will cover who we consider to be our top 10 Americans this season in Europe. The stats information for each player comes from FotMob.
Lennard Maloney

Few Americans played in the Bundesliga this season and even fewer had a good season in the German topflight. Lennard Maloney was one of those Americans who had a successful Bundesliga season. Maloney was the main central defender for the newly promoted club Heidenheim. Last season, he helped them win the 2. Bundesliga to get their first ever promotion to the Bundesliga. This season, he helped Heidenheim qualify for the UEFA Conference League, their first ever continental competition. Few American soccer players can say they have that accomplishment. It was only until this season did Maloney get his first call-up to the USMNT. Maloney was spectacular on the stats sheet, but it was what he did off the ball that made him one of the best American players this season in a top European league. At one point during the season, Maloney was leading in distance covered. His ability to stop the opposition’s transition to the attack helped Heidenheim to have 1.6 goals conceded per match and a possession of 42.1%. Maloney outperformed 97% of Bundesliga midfielders in aerial duels won and 90% in defensive actions. Between the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal, Maloney started in 29 matches out of 31 matches played with 2 goals and 1 assist. He also had an 83.5% passing accuracy, 69.4% long ball accuracy, 29 tackles for 80.2%, 79.1% aerial duels won, 29 interceptions, and 144 recoveries. For me, Maloney barely makes it in the top 10 list due to his low stats. His accomplishments for Heidenheim and being a major piece to their successful season can’t be ignored.
Chris Richards

It took a while for Chris Richards to get a start for Crystal Palace and it was worth the wait. When Richards began getting minutes this season, it was at defensive midfielder. He took people by surprise with his solid performances in the position. With the injury of Marc Guehi and Crystal Palace moving to a back 3, Richards became a lock starter in the defense. It was rocky at first for him, but that all changed when Oliver Glasner took over the club. In the first match under the new manager, Richards got a goal. Richards became one of Crystal Palace’s best CBs. In the 30 matches played, Richards started in 27. Richards finished ahead of 83% of the CBs in the Premier League in aerial duels, and 66% in both defensive actions and goals. Across all competitions, Richards had 1 goal and 1 assist, 85% passing accuracy, 59.2% tackles won, 54.5% duels won, 37 interceptions, and 106 recoveries. There is hope next season for Richards. Guehi is gathering interest from other EPL clubs once again and Glasner will be returning next season. If Richards retains his starting role next season, we could see Richards be one of Palace’s best defenders. Due to not appearing in every match, having some inconsistent matches before the Glasner Era, and not unlocking his full potential this season until Glasner took over is why Richards is 9th on my list.
Josh Sargent

One of the US’ most prolific scorers this season came from Josh Sargent in the English Championship. Missing 22 matches due to an ankle injury did not stop him from scoring double-digit goals, but it did stop him from winning the league’s golden boot. Sargent finished 6th in goals scored with 16 in 26 league matches played with 2 assists. If Sargent had not sustained the injury, he would have been in the argument for the league’s golden boot. Across all competitions, Sargent started in 25 matches out of 28 matches played. When you compare his traits to other strikers in the English Championship, Sargent finished ahead of 65% strikers in chances created, 83% shot attempts, and 96% goals. In league play, Sargent had an 81.8% passing, 23 chances created, 47.5% dribbles completed, 45.4% duels won, and 39 recoveries. Even with the injury, there have been rumors that Premier League clubs are monitoring him. Maybe we will see him back in the EPL next season. The reason he falls just short of the top 5 is because between the months of May and April, he had only 2 goals and 1 assist. As a striker, you cannot have only 3 G/A in 2 months. The injury also allowed others, mainly Haji Wright, to pass him in the top 10 Americans in Europe this season. If he was not out for 4 months and was in contention for Championship Golden Boot, he would have been a top 5 American.
Johnny Cardoso

Johnny would be much higher on this list if he had played a full season in Europe based on his form with Los Verdiblancos since joining in January when you compare him to the other Americans in a top 5 league. Johnny took LaLiga by storm and quickly took a starting role in just his second match, which happened to be against Barcelona. He also received how praises from Manuel Pellegrini just after his first week with the club. Johnny was awarded the LaLiga EA Sports U23 Player of the Month in February, his first full month for Real Betis. Johnny’s quick adoption to LaLiga and excellent performances has already caused inquiries from major clubs, one of those clubs being Barcelona, and being a LaLiga U23 Player of the Season nominee. Across all competitions, Johnny had 3 goal contributions, 72% long ball accuracy, 9 chances created, 78.9% successful dribbles, 34 tackles won for 65.9%, 51.2% of duels won, 35 interceptions, 101 recoveries between LaLiga and Europa Conference League. In just half of a season, Johnny beat 96% of midfielders in LaLiga for defensive actions and 92% of them in aerial duels. For playing only half a season in a top 5 league, these are very impressive numbers, and it made him one of the most exciting Americans to watch in Europe this season. His nomination for LaLiga U23 Player of the Season, winning a U23 Player of the Month, and the quality of the teams he faced compared to other Americans in Europe is very difficult to ignore when placing him on this list. Johnny only playing half the season in Europe does keep him from being higher up in the top. If he can continue this form next season, he will for sure be a top 5 American in Europe. Next season, Real Betis will be taking part in the Europa Conference League once again.
Malik Tillman

The American player who had one of the best loan spells this season was Malik Tillman. After his successful loan at Glasgow Rangers last season, Malik Tillman proved that he could conquer a top 7 league after putting up 19 goal contributions for PSV in the Eredivisie. His effort on the offense helped PSV win the league title. Amongst all attacking midfielders and wingers in the Eredivisie, Malik finished ahead of 94% of the players in touches and 92% in chances created. Also, he beat out 90% of them in defensive actions and 71% in goals. Malik started in 24 matches out of 39 across all competitions with a total of 21 goal contributions (his one match with Jong PSV is not included). Tillman also had 71% shots on target in league play; 81.6% passing accuracy, 67.8% long ball accuracy, 61 chances created, 47 successful dribbles for 47.8%, 3 penalties won, 36 tackles for 81.2%, 48.2% duels won, 25 interceptions, 9 blocks, 171 recoveries, and 39 possessions won in the final third. On May 10th, PSV made the announcement at the end of the season that they had acquired Tillman permanently through 2028 and Bayern retained their buy-back clause. PSV were not the only club that was pleased by his performance this season. His parent club, Bayern, was reportedly to be very happy with his season as well. Maybe we will see Tillman back in a Bayern shirt in the future. Tillman not being higher on this list was due to his inconsistent performances in the Champions League and early in the Eredivisie season.
Segiño Dest

The player with arguably the best loan spell of the Americans in Europe was Sergiño Dest. After appearing in only 14 matches for Milan AC last season and his second season with Barcelona under Xavi Hernández. A step back to the Eredivisie was the right move for Dest to rejuvenate his career. Due to Jordan Teze being PSV’s RB, Dest played LB this season and was successful at it, showing he can play on both sides. In the Eredivisie, Dest made it on the Team of the Month on multiple occasions. There are still improvements that need to be made in his defensive game, and that was evident in the UCL matches. In the Eredivisie, Dest finished ahead of 90% of other fullbacks in chances created, 88% in touches, and 90% in shot attempts. Across all competitions, Dest finished with 9 goal contributions, 86.9% passing accuracy, 69.1% long ball accuracy, 52 chances created, 62.4% dribbles completed, 58.5% ground duels won, and 163 recoveries. Dest played a critical role in PSV winning the Eredivisie this season. He did make some mistakes in the UCL matches, but he was still one of PSV’s better players in the competition. Even though the Eredivisie is not a top 5 league in Europe, Dest was one of our top performers and most informed American players in Europe.
Haji Wright

Arguably one of the top 3 Americans in England this season, it did not start well for Haji Wright in his record transfer to Coventry City. In his first 3 months at the club, Haji only had 2 goals and 2 assists. Things did not start to turn around for him until November when he scored 3 goals in 4 matches. By the end of the 1st half of the season, Haji had 12 goal contributions. What changed for him? Manager Mark Robins moved Haji to LW and occasionally as a left striker. That move in position helped provide Haji Wright his best season of his career and one of the best American players this season. His most iconic goal in my opinion this season was scoring the winning goal at the last minute against Wolves to help get Coventry City into the FA Cup Semi-Final followed by his goal against Manchester United. By the end of the season, Haji had 25 goal contributions across all competitions, tying him with Christian Pulisic for most goal contributions by an American in a top 10 European league. In league play, Haji and Sargent tied for 6th in goals with 16. Haji was better than 93% attacking midfielders and wingers in aerial duels won, along with 97% in goals, and 98% in shot attempts. Haji finished the season with 75.9% in passing, 32 chances created, 4 penalty goals, 36 completed dribbles, 49 fouls won, 63.9% tackles, 47.8% aerial duels won, and 114 recoveries. If Haji Wright can recreate this season again next year in the English Championship, I will have no doubt he will be linked to a move to the Premier League.
Weston McKennie

Another player who was consistent for his European club this season was Weston McKennie for Juventus in the Serie A. McKennie was one of the most informed players for Juventus this season and their leading player in assists with 7. There has been discussion by Serie A media since January that McKennie deserves to be on the Serie A Team of the Season. He spent a good amount of the season at RWB and was very successful. He did not move to his natural position (central midfielder) until later in the season due to injuries. Even with being one of Juve’s best players this season and being in discussion for Serie A Team of the Season, Juve refused to give the salary raise that McKennie asked for, leaving his future with the Italian giants in doubt. McKennie started in 33 matches out of 38 matches. He finished the season with 10 assists. 77.4% passing accuracy and 64.4% long ball accuracy across all competitions. He also created 46 chances, 60.8% completed dribbles, 31 completed tackles for 80.2%, 168 duels won for 42.3%, 20 interceptions, and 128 recoveries. When you compared McKennie to other Serie A midfielders, he outperformed 87% of them in chances created and 65% for aerial duels won. After how things went last season for him, he had one of the biggest improvements in performance for an American along with Christian Pulisic. The reason he finishes behind Pulisic is because he did not score a single goal and he was beginning to struggle in form towards the end of the season. He was one of the few Americans to win a trophy this season by winning the Coppa Italia.
Christian Pulisic

It is a close call between Pulisic and Weston McKinnie for the 2nd best American this season and even 1st between Pulisic and Antonee Robinson. I must give it to Pulisic because of his offensive work rate and productivity, and his European competition performance this season. Pulisic finished the season with 15 goals and 10 assists across all competitions (1 goal being in the Champions League (UCL), and 2 goals and an assist being in the UEL) bringing a total of 25 G/A, the most he has had in a single season. In Serie A, Pulisic tied for 4th of all players in the league for goals and assists. For Milan, he was their 2nd highest goal scorer and had the 2nd most assists. Pulisic started in 44 matches out of 55 matches played across all competitions. Pulisic was nominated by the league for best midfielder of the season. When compared to attacking midfielders and wingers in Serie A, he scored more goals than 91% of other players in those positions. He also had an 83% passing accuracy, 60 chances created, 28.5% crossing accuracy (in the league, Pulisic was in the 72.7% ranking), 66 successful dribbles for 49%, 181 touches in opposition box, 71.3% tackles won, 198 ground duels won for 46.3%, 24 blocks, 11 interceptions, and 138 recoveries. Since becoming a professional athlete, this was Christian Pulisic’s best season of his career. People would argue he only performed as well as he did because he took a step down. Even with Serie A not being at the level that the EPL is at, it is still a top 5 league in the world and Milan is one of the biggest clubs in Europe. The reason why he is not the #1 American for this season is because Pulisic was not being consistent, especially against major opponents.
Antonee Robinson

It was a tight decision between Antonee Robinson and Christian Pulisic for best American player in Europe this season, but I must hand it to Antonee. Antonee Robinson was arguably the best LB in the English Premier League this season and even argued to be the best fullback this season. This is very challenging when talking about the best league and the world where you have the likes of Kyle Walker, Reece James, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Andrew Robertson. For the USMNT, he was perhaps the most consistent American in Europe this season. Antonee started a total of 42 out of 44 matches. He had a total of 6 assists this season, making him one of the top EPL defenders in assists this season. He also finished with the most interceptions in the EPL with 80, 15 more than Lewis Cook, who had the 2nd most in the league. This does not just include the EPL, but Jedi also had the most interceptions across Europe’s top 7 leagues. In the top 7 European leagues, he came in 3rd in possession won in defensive 3rd with 145. When comparing him to other fullbacks in the EPL, he outperformed 95% of the league’s fullbacks in defensive actions, 80% in touches, and 68% in aerial duels won. Across all competitions, Antonee had 35 chances created, passing accuracy of 76.5%, 23% crossing accuracy, 49 successful dribbles for 60.3%, tackles won, 56.5% duels won, and 264 recoveries. Antonee has made it on several reviewers’ EPL Team of the Season and is being monitored by top clubs for this summer by the likes of Liverpool and Bayern. Compared to other Americans in Europe this season, Jedi made it on more continental stats leaderboards and competing in this best league in the world making him the best American in Europe this season.


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