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Way too young USYNT prospects

Published

5 years ago

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The Group That You Should be Paying Attention To on the USYNT 

Recently we took a look at the 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 USYNT age groups and took a look at the top 50 u20 prospects.  Today, we will be looking at the top players born in 2006 and 2007.  These are the players who will be the youngest potential players for the 2026 World Cup as they will be turning 19 and 20 by that time.  Will any of these players become what Christian Pulisic was for the 2018 World Cup cycle or what Gio Reyna will likely be for the 2022 World Cup cycle?  Only time will tell, but in this article we will highlight every top prospect that I think is worth watching over the years.  These players turn 13 and 14 this year so take this list with a grain of salt, you never know which players will turn out to be solid pro’s.  

The 2006 and 2007 born players will lead a new generation of USYNT prospects.  This will be the group of players who will spend their high school years playing in the new league that arises out of the ashes of the Development Academy.  These players will be the youngest potential players in 2026 and will help form the core of the 2030 and 2034 World Cup cycles (feel old yet?).  The 2006 and 2007 age groups will have a USYNT timeline that consists of the 2023 u17 World Cup, 2025 u20 World Cup, 2027 u20 World Cup (2007’s only), 2024 Olympics (one will be in the pool based on historical data), and the 2028 Olympics.  I decided to cap this list at the 2007 age group as the 2008’s are too young to highlight as they turn 12 this year (look out for Kellen LeBlanc of the Philadelphia Union). 

Mostly attacking players will be highlighted in this post as center backs historically emerge at older age groups (most early bloomers do not make it to the u20 cycle) and there are no fullbacks that truly standout yet in either of these age groups.  The 2025 u20 World Cup cycle is building quite the attack as the USYNT midfield and attack are getting crowded with a lot of eye popping talents both domestic and abroad already.  The wingers and strikers for the 2025 cycle with the 2005’s and 2006’s by far are the most athletic and talented group that I have seen so far.  The midfield is producing more and more technical maestro’s year after year and the 2035 u20 eligible age groups show this.  So without further ado, let’s dive into the way too young players with notable talent.  

Adrian Simons-Gill

Who is the best USYNT player of the 2006 age group currently?  That title belongs to Adrian Simons-Gill for the time being.  Adrian currently plays at La Masia, the famed academy of FC Barcelona which has pumped out world class players like Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, and many more.  Being in the FC Barcelona system alone is a significant achievment and shows that a player has obvious talent but Adrian is going much further than just being any other player in the La Masia system.  The center midfielder is one of the top 2006 talents at the club and is not only leading his age group, but is standing out in games when playing up age groups.  

How good is this kid?  An answer to that is very as he made the La Masia team of the year for 2019.  Adrian is the center mid that fits the Barca mold as his playing style is very similar if not identical to Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.  This kid is not going to physically dominate the other team, but he is going to keep the ball and find teammates every time in a way that will disorganize the opposition.  Normally the ideal situation for an American player is to move to Europe when they turn 16 with a European passport but this kid will have been in Spain for over six years by the time the domestic players with Euro passports will move abroad.  Adrian has the athleticism, the skill, the IQ, and the passing to make it very far at La Masia and if I were a betting man, I would bet on this kid being the Christian Pulisic of the 2026 World Cup cycle, he is special people.

Aaron Heard

Who is the most talented player in the Philadelphia Union’s stellar academy?  That would be Aaron Heard, the dynamic attacking midfielder USMNT need to know about.  Aaron Heard is the smooth and smart playmaking attacking midfielder that immediately will pop out when you watch a Philadelphia Union u14 or u15 game.  Aaron Heard moved to the Philadelphia Union in the summer of 2019 and quickly started to stand out when he won the golden ball at the u13 Concacaf Champions League tournament in Costa Rica last August. 

Aaron may be small in stature, but he quickly buzzes around the field making plays and terrorizing the other team.  No matter who he is playing against, this kid will impose his style of play on the other team and take over the game.  He can dribble by you, play a killer pass, and pop goals in from distance.  Aaron Heard is the total attacking midfielder package and will be the focal point in the attack for the 2006 age group for the upcoming years.  Expect Aaron to be moved up to the Philadelphia Union u17’s next season as the u15 level will be too easy for him.  

Here is a link to a Aaron Heard banger playing up with the Philadelphia Union u15’s at GA Cup

Bajung Darboe

Every u15 USYNT cycle has that kid who is an early bloomer and literally looks like a man among boys playing against his own age group.  In the past there was Alfred Koroma, Wesley Wade, Haji Wright, Ayo Akinola, and Dantouma Toure.  This cycle’s edition is Bajung Darboe.  To put it lightly, this kid is an absolute physical freak.  While playing three years up with the Minnesota United u17’s, Bajung is still one of the most athletically dominant players on the field (the other being Patrick Weah).  Typically, when you see these athletically dominant players move up to older age groups they tend to sink instead of swim because they do not have the necessary skills on the ball needed to succeed against older competition but Bajung Darboe is not like most kids.  Bajung even at 13 years old is still able to physically and technically stand out on the field.  

Bajung is a highly technical and pacy winger who excels in 1v1 situations and can create chances at will against players of any age.  If Minnesota know what is best for them, they will sign Bajung in August when he becomes eligible for a homegrown deal making him the first 2006 homegrown signing in the MLS.  Bajung is so good that he not only plays up one level in the DA, but two and still manages to stand out.  It won’t be long until the hype train starts building once this kid starts to release highlights, he is truly amazing to watch if I am going to be honest.  If Bajung was allowed to play against kids his own age, he would most likely score a hat trick within 15 minutes, he is that much better than other kids his age.  Barring a knee injury (RIP Dantouma Toure’s hype train) Bajung is on track to start getting MLS minutes by the time he turns 15.  

Matthew Cochoran

Like your token athletic kid, every USYNT age group also has their token Michael Bradley style center mid.  This age group’s version is Matthew Cochoran.  Like a young Michael Bradley, Matt is a patrolling center mid who can do it all.  He has a fantastic passing range, he is calm and collected on the ball, he has incredible vision, he has the ability to create danger at will, and he can run around the field breaking up plays.  Out of all of the center mid/defensive mids that the US has produced in recent years, this kid is the best one in my opinion.

Matt is yet another high level USYNT player to come out of the FC Dallas academy.  While FC Dallas is currently experiencing their first homegrown takeover with the first team, the next group of homegrowns that will take the MLS by storm is on the way.  The FC Dallas u15’s are incredible and have breezed through team’s in the DA and Matthew is the standout in this team while also playing a year up.  How good is this team?  Do you remember the Seattle Sounders 2002 team that won the GA Cup?  Well, this group of players is even better.  For Matt to be the clear standout in a team full of YNT level players in literally every position, it is a real testament for just how good this kid is.  Big clubs in Europe are already circling and this kid will be getting paid when he turns 18.  Matt should be the chiseled in stone starter at the 6 for the 2006’s u17 World Cup cycle unless the next player to be mentioned has something to say about it.  

Mark Cajamarca

For fans of Allan Rodriguez, imagine if Allan was a phenomenal deep lying distributor, that is Mark Cajamarca.  After the first wave of standout academy players for NYCFC the club has a little bit to wait for their next gem to break into the first team but once this kid is ready, the wait will be worth it.  Here’s to hoping that NYCFC launch a USL affiliate and build a soccer stadium to welcome this kid to the professional level because if they don’t, Mark should head over to Germany instead.

Mark is by far the best USYNT distributor that I have ever seen at the u15 level.  This kid sprays the ball around with the confidence and ease that is typically seen of a teenage 6 that is playing in the USL.  Mark will have to become faster and stronger to make it to the professional level but at the rate he is progressing, this kid will quickly become too good for MLS and will be Europe bound before he turns 20, he is one of those players that is that talented.  If I wasn’t so high on Matthew Cochoran’s game, I would lock in Mark as the starting 6 for the 2006 age group.  

Alex Wesolowsky

Unless you are someone who actively uses bigsoccer, there is a very small chance that you have heard of this kid before.  Alex currently plays for Slavia Prague, the best team in the Czech first division.  This kid has the starter pack of an elite 8 who can go far in his career.  A good academy where he can develop, physically elite, cool on the ball, a great passer, creative in the attack, and knows how to use his body language to disguise his moves on and off the ball which is a rare trait at this age.  Alex is one of those kids where he makes the game look easy. 

This is a player who USsoccer needs to give a look at the first opportunity as the Czech national team has expressed interest in Alex.  Alex will turn the 2006’s USYNT midfield from being very good to being great and giving USYNT depth.  Alex could very quickly become a target of even larger academies in Europe as he is a standout in his age group at Slavia Prague.  Alex should quickly standout if invited to a USA camp because he will be physically superior to most of the midfielders in his age group and will also standout for his skills on the ball as well.  This kid is a very good prospect at a club where he has a chance to earn first team minutes as he progresses, his progress should be closely monitored.  

Myles Perkovich

Imagine being told by David Beckham that you are an incredibly talented USYNT player.  That is exactly what happened to Myles when he was welcomed into the Inter Miami FC academy.  Myles is your USYNT box to box midfielder who knows how to keep possession, command space, and be the physical presence needed to dominate the other team’s midfield.  Inter Miami over the next two or three years should be expected to go on a rapid homegrown signing spree and Myles Perkovich will be one of the numerous talents that will be signed to the Inter Miami first team.

Every time I went to go watch an Inter Miami u14 or u15 game to observe Axel Perez (he will be highlighted later on) I was constantly blown away by Myles.  Myles takes over and truly dominates a game like very few that I have ever seen at this age group and I think he is a truly special talent.  David Beckham is keen on making homegrowns the face of the club and Myles is currently on track to become the start of the Miami soccer scene.  

Michael Luande

The Seattle Sounders have been steadily ramping up their academy and the latest mega talent to emerge in their system is Michael Luande.  Michael burst onto the scene when he lit up the Development Academy scoring 48 goals in 35 games over two seasons.  Michael’s goal scoring prowess earned him a call up to the u14 USYNT ID combine for the 2005 age group where he was one of the standout players.  Luande was quickly moved from the Sounder’s feeder club to the home base where he has been playing up an age group with the Sounder’s u15’s this season.  

Michael Luande is a physically imposing striker who is skilled on the ball, has pace, and is great at hold up play.  Michael is physically advanced for his age so it is very likely that he will never play a game in his own age group in a Sounders jersey unless it is at GA Cup.  Michael is currently the top striker prospect for the 2006 age group and stands out among the crowd.  If the 2006’s had a must win game, this kid would be a guarantee to suit up at the 9.  Being in the Sounders system where players are thrown into the USL at incredibly young ages will benefit Michael greatly and will lead to him establishing a gap in his level compared to the other strikers in his age group.  

Bento Estrela

Bento Estrela is yet another incredibly talented center mid in the 2006 age group.  Bento is so good that the New York Red Bulls were rumored to be moving him up to the u17 level.  Bento is an incredibly athletic center mid who oozes skill on the ball, has a good passing range, and has a very large frame.  Bento is a more skilled version of both Weston McKennie and Bryang Kayo.  The New York Red Bulls lately have been hesitant to play kids up when they are ready (I am still upset with how long it to Kenan Hot to be played with the u19’s and be brought into the USL team…the kid is good Red Bulls…use him) so when a player is not only played up one age group, but two age groups then people should take notice.  

If I chose my ideal USYNT roster for the 2006’s then Bento would be the last midfielder cut from the team and for one main reason: his soccer IQ.  Bento right now displays elite athleticism and skill on the ball in games with the Red Bulls but off the ball is where he needs some work.  Whether it is not making the correct movements to show for the ball or constantly being out of position defensively, there is a lot of room for improvement.  In games that I have watched, I have seen him walk around and lose focus when the Red Bulls are on defense when the ball is in the defensive third, this can’t happen at higher levels.  When Bento irons out this issue (not if, when) then Bento will be a top tier prospect who will be hyped by literally every USMNT die hard fan across the nation.  

Luis Moreno

What is the first thing that you should look for in a very young player for the USYNT?  Eye popping soccer IQ should be your answer every time.  This is why I highly rate Luis Moreno.  Luis is not the most athletic kid on the field, he does not have the best passing range for a center mid on the field.  What this kid does have is a demonstrated high level knowledge of how to move off the ball and how to connect with teammates and progress up the field.  Luis is the standout young prospect in the Houston Dynamo academy and is the big winner of being at a club who has brought in the best coach for developing young talent.  

For Luis to keep progressing and retain his elite prospect status he will have to become faster and stronger as he goes through puberty.  When playing at the u15 DA level he sometimes looked a little over his head because he was smaller and slower than the players around him.  However, at the u15 level he by far looked like the most technically advanced and smartest player on the field.  Luis is an amazing long term prospect who may have breaking into the YNT for his age group because of the previously mentioned players.  I think that Tab will do wonders with this kid so he is on this list because I am so excited about his future as a professional soccer player.  

Axel Perez

Axel Perez is the only 2007 USYNT that I see get continuously thrown in with the top prospects in the country and for very good reason.  Even though Axel is tiny, he is almost never played at his own age group because he is better than most of the players 1-2 years older than him on the field.  Every single age group has that special attacking playmaker who quickly jumps off the screen because of his ability to constantly make plays.  Axel Perez is one of those players.  Other players who were similar in level to Axel Perez at this age were Andrew Carleton and Evan Rotundo.  

As Axel goes through puberty and becomes faster and stronger he will become an elite prospect that should light the youth soccer circuit on fire.  Next season, Axel will likely be playing up with the Inter Miami u17’s even though he will be severely outmatched physically.  He will be able to keep up at that level because his soccer IQ is so high and his movement off the ball is so good.  Axel is the most talented player in the Inter Miami academy and it is not even close.  David Beckham will have his work cut out for him trying to convince this kid to stay stateside when he turns 18.  

Joah Reyna

Yes, you assumed correctly USYNT fans, Joah is the son of Claudio and younger brother of Gio Reyna.  I saw Gio play when he was Joah’s age and Joah may actually be the more talented of the two.  Joah is actually a much better player in front of goal than Gio was at 13 years old and may be more skilled on the ball as well.  Joah is the clear and obvious standout for the NYCFC u13 and u14’s and is the most talented player in their academy that will likely never sign for the NYCFC first team like Gio.  In 14 games this season, Joah banged in 18 goals and was on pace to score over 30 goals if the pandemic did not cut the season short.  

Joah’s playing style is very unsurprisingly similar to his older brother’s and is more efficient at Joah’s age as if he watched Gio play all the time and learned from him big brother.  Joah may move down to the Austin FC academy where Claudio is currently working his magic.  If watching Gio develop under the tutelage of a USMNT legend then watching Joah develop will likely be just as exciting as he will have a father and older brother who have both walked the walk and will show him the way.  Joah has all the tools his brother has and is in an even better situation for success than Gio was.  Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but I am officially starting the Joah Reyna hype train.  

Other notable 2006 USYNT players

  • Kelvin Da Costa: Center Back (NYCFC)
  • Gabrial Brandon: Center Back (FC Dallas)
  • Kimbikula Mbula: Right Back (San Antonio FC)
  • Zen Franco: Striker (LAFC)
  • Diego Bravo-Acosta: Striker (Total Futbol Academy)
  • Patrick Shaw: Striker (New York Red Bulls)
  • Diego Kochen: Goalkeeper (FC Barcelona)
  • Henry Canizales: Left Back (FC Dallas)
  • Solomon Straub: Center Mid (Minnesota United)
  • Owen Presthus: Winger (Columbus Crew)

Other notable 2007 USYNT players

  • Din Klapija: Striker (NYCFC)
  • Henry Bornstein: Midfielder (Philadelphia Union)
  • Brice Miller: Center Mid (FC Dallas)
  • Gavin Turner: Center Mid (DC United)
  • Jaime Vega Espinosa: Midfielder (New England Revolution)

Notable 2008 USYNT players

  • Kellen LeBlanc: Winger (Philadelphia Union)
  • Marius Aiyenero: Forward (Chicago Fire)
  • Christopher Cupps: Midfielder (Chicago Fire)
  • Jack Kortkamp: (Minnesota United)
  • Ryland Vue: (Minnesota United)
  • DeCarlo Guerra: Midfielder (LAFC)

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Club News

American Transfers: Stock Up & Stock Down

Published

2 months ago

on

September 9, 2024

By

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.

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Club News

Who’s a Keeper?

Published

3 months ago

on

August 21, 2024

By

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.

DOHA, QATAR – NOVEMBER 27: Matt Turner (L) and Ethan Horvath of United States interact during the United States Training Session at Al Gharafa Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)


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.

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Club News

The Top 10 Americans in Europe this Season

Published

5 months ago

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June 10, 2024

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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

April 21, 2024: Crystal Palace v West Ham United Premier League 21/04/2024. Chris Richards 26 of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and West Ham United at Selhurst Park, London, England on 21 April 2024. Editorial use only DataCo restrictions apply See www.football-dataco.com , Copyright: xNigelxKeenex PSI-19528-0101 (Credit Image: © Imago via ZUMA Press)

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

    Norwich City v Southampton – Sky Bet Championship – Carrow Road Norwich City s Josh Sargent during the Sky Bet Championship match at Carrow Road, Norwich. Picture date: Monday January 1, 2024. EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUKxIRL Copyright: xAdamxDavyx 74979369

    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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