With the January United States males’s nationwide camp roster introduced, the web page has formally flipped to what might be a busy 2024. Coming into 12 months six beneath Gregg Berhalter, it is going to be fairly an thrilling time with the Olympics, Copa America, and Concacaf Nations League semifinals all on the horizon. All of this motion will even assist construct towards internet hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico however earlier than they’ll get there, there’s loads that members of the workforce might want to do.
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Midfield is in flux, we’re nonetheless no nearer to determining a beginning heart again pairing and depth spots are all up for grabs. Even the goalkeeper spot could possibly be up for dialogue relying on how issues go. Taking all of that into consideration, let’s check out some USMNT gamers to look at in 2024:
Gio Reyna
Gio Reyna’s scenario is fascinating. After Christian Pulisic, Reyna is making a robust argument that he is the subsequent most necessary participant on the nationwide workforce regardless of struggling for minutes at Borussia Dortmund. If Reyna does not get a transfer in January there might be questions on how a lot taking part in time will affect his health for Copa America. That is a event the place if Reyna is wholesome he must be concerned. Tyler Adams, Yunus Musahand Weston McKennie had been regarded as an inseparable midfield following the World Cup in Qatar however Reyna is exhibiting that he must be included within the beginning XI as a lot as doable.
Zack Steffen
Following a transfer to the Colorado Rapids, for the primary time in years, Steffen will know the place he’s taking part in his soccer for the subsequent few seasons and also will have a assured beginning spot for the foreseeable future. After serving as a backup at Manchester Metropolis after which happening mortgage and injuring his knee at Middlesbrough within the Championship, Steffen was caught in purgatory in the course of the summer season after saying that he needed to maneuver from Metropolis to a spot the place he might compete for a beginning function. Now coached by Chris Armas, Steffen could have the tall job of turning round one of many worst defenses in Main League Soccer. If he is ready to try this and Matt Turner finally ends up not being the full-time starter for Nottingham Forest, there’s a direct path again to being the USMNT primary for Steffen.
Tyler Adams
Bournemouth proprietor Invoice Foley introduced on Morning Footy (CBS Sports activities Golazo Community) that Tyler Adams could possibly be again by the top of February and USMNT followers are awaiting that second with anticipation. Adams has been absent from aggressive fixtures since making a 20-minute cameo within the EFL Cup again in September throughout which he reaggravated a hamstring harm. The anchor of the USMNT midfield, Adams is required to face high sides on the earth resulting from his means to dive into tackles and observe high attacking midfielders. If Adams is wholesome and capable of contribute throughout Copa America, it is going to increase the ceiling of what the USMNT can do, however with questions remaining about who could be a defensive midfielder if Adams misses out, his restoration might be intently monitored.
Mark McKenzie
One of many first names on the teamsheet at Genk, McKenzie helps lead their protection to permit solely a objective per recreation in league play. Whereas the Belgian Professional League will not be one of many strongest high flights on the earth, McKenzie’s performances and European expertise ought to earn him a USMNT recall to indicate what he can do as he features extra confidence. Finally, he’ll probably want a transfer to a bigger membership to comprehend his full potential however that is additionally a part of Genk’s enterprise mannequin of transferring on youthful gamers to greater and higher issues. One of many greatest winners of Miles Robinson signing with FC Cincinnati, resulting from already being a left-footed heart again in Europe, it is necessary to see how McKenzie responds to this opportunity.
The strikers
We all know that till confirmed in any other case, Folarin Balogun is the beginning 9 for the USMNT. However whereas Ricardo Pepi is in nice kind each for PSV and the USMNT as Balogun’s backup, the pecking order between them is up within the air, particularly with Brandon Vazquez on the way in which to Monterrey in Mexico. Josh Sargent has scored when wholesome however has struggled to remain on the pitch at Norwich, Daryl Dike can also’t keep wholesome and Jesus Ferreira is prepared for his subsequent alternative. There’s a massive probability for whoever emerges from this group however there are additionally query marks surrounding every.
