Category: Americans Abroad

Tessmann ‘out of our project’ at Venezia, says sporting director

The Serie A club appears fed up with the USMNT midfielder

Tanner Tessmann looks like he’ll need to find a new club as soon as possible.

After multiple failed transfers this summer, Venezia sporting director Filippo Antonelli has declared that the American midfielder is no longer part of the club’s project.

Tessmann was one of Venezia’s top performers last season, helping the club secure promotion to Serie A. But rather than staying put as the club moves to the Italian top flight, the 22-year-old has instead been looking for a way out.

The ex-FC Dallas midfielder has been close to joining both Inter and Fiorentina, but the transfers have each collapsed at the final hurdle. Reportedly, the exorbitant demands of Tessmamn’s agents has been at least partially to blame for both transfers falling through.

As Venezia gets ready for its first Serie A game on Sunday against Lazio, Antonelli told Il Gazzettino that the club isn’t able to count on a player who so clearly wants to leave.

“Tessmann is out of our project at Venezia,” Antonelli said.

“It has been a difficult week, try to understand me here. I am above all sorry for the player, as he put himself into this situation. At this moment, he is off the list of players at the disposal of coach Eusebio Di Francesco, but that is his decision and does not depend on us.

“He continues to train with the rest of the squad, but his mind at this moment is just not there. Our approach to Serie A has not changed, we prefer to have players who are strongly motivated to play with the Venezia jersey and fully committed to our project, otherwise it’s better to get someone else.”

The transfer window will be open for another two weeks, with La Stampa reporting this week that Torino, coached by former Venezia manager Paolo Vanoli, could be a possible destination.

If Tessmann isn’t able to find a new home by the end of August, Antonelli wouldn’t rule out the possibility of his reintegration into the team. But he made it clear that the Olympian’s attitude would have to change.

“We’ll see, anything is possible,” he said. “If the transfer window closes and Venezia is the only remaining option, then we’d have to evaluate what to do, but he would need to roll his sleeves up and get back with a completely different attitude.”

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Boro coach Carrick hails ‘fantastic’ Morris after strong start

The USMNT midfielder is making quite the impression early in his time at Middlesbrough

Aidan Morris is making quite the impression early in his time at Middlesbrough.

The midfielder joined Boro from the Columbus Crew in June, with the Championship side shelling out a reported $4 million.

Morris has been thrown into the fire in his first foray into Europe, playing the full match in both of Boro’s opening games of the campaign.

The 22-year-old has responded well to the challenge, as he was named man of the match in a 1-0 league win over Swansea over the weekend, before turning in another strong display in Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Leeds in the Carabao Cup.

After the game against Leeds, head coach Michael Carrick spoke glowingly of Morris and fellow summer signing Delano Burgzorg.

Carrick said: “It (making early signings) certainly helps, and credit to everyone for that – the backroom staff, in terms of recruitment, and having good ideas, and having a plan and sticking to it.

“We’re all in it together. We’ve spoken about the value of getting the two lads in early, and it is the truth.

“We’ve seen the benefits of that, and we’re feeling those benefits. I thought the two boys in particular were fantastic tonight, in different ways, and you can see how well they’ve settled in.”

Next up for Boro is a trip to face Derby County in a Championship encounter on Saturday.

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Pulisic returns to full training ahead of AC Milan season opener

The USMNT star is on course to start on Saturday against Torino

AC Milan got some good news on Thursday, as Christian Pulisic returned to full training ahead of the team’s season opener against against Torino on Saturday.

Pulisic was sidelined for Milan’s final preseason friendly due to an ankle knock, as the American was held out of his team’s 3-1 win over Monza on Tuesday.

After the 25-year-old trained separately from his teammates on Wednesday, MilanNews.it reported that he was back in full training the following day, putting him on course to start Saturday’s Serie A opener at San Siro.

Pulisic is likely to start against Torino, but there is still a question over where he will line up. The U.S. national team star was primarily used as a right winger last season, but new coach Paulo Fonseca has indicated his willingness to play Pulisic as the No. 10.

The Pennsylvania native lined up as the No. 10 in preseason, and could be set to reprise that role more often in the upcoming season.

Wherever he plays, Milan will hope that Pulisic can replicate, or improve on a career-best campaign in 2023-24 that saw him tally 15 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.

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Americans Abroad: Slonina stars while Trusty, Pines both score in Carabao Cup

If you’ve got a couple USMNT caps and played in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, odds are you had a good day at the office

Tuesday was a very good day to be an American Abroad, with multiple U.S. men’s national team prospects standing out in the first round of the Carabao Cup.

Gabriel Slonina had a Barnsley competitive debut to remember, while the club’s other U.S.-born player Donovan Pines marked his return from a long-term injury with an equalizer as the Tykes survived a penalty-kick tiebreaker to advance past Wigan Athletic.

Auston Trusty, meanwhile, bagged his first Sheffield United goal as the Blades defeated Wrexham 4-2 at Bramall Lane.

After the regulation 90 minutes ended in a 1-1 draw for Barnsley, Slonina saved spot kicks from Josh Stones and Thelo Aasgaard to propel his side through to the second round. It was the perfect way to endear himself to Tykes fans after only joining the club on loan from Chelsea last week.

Barnsley had trailed at halftime, only for Pines — making his first appearance since March after a thigh injury ended his 2023-24 season — to nod home a 48th-minute set piece.

After the match, Tykes assistant coach Martin Devaney called Slonina “the hero” of the match.

“[Slonina has] done really well,” Devaney told reporters. “We’ve all been looking forward to watching him tonight and seeing how he handles his debut and all in all, he’s done really well. He’s come out the hero, I suppose.”

Slonina came up with his stops in the first and third rounds of the tiebreaker, helping to ensure Barnsley of a spot in Wednesday’s draw for the second round.

Trusty scores first Blades goal

Roughly 64 miles to the west, USMNT defender Auston Trusty scored his first-ever goal for Sheffield United as the Blades got past a tricky challenge from Wrexham.

The Red Dragons took the lead after 29 minutes, but Trusty had the perfect response, getting wide open to head home a 35th minute corner.

While both teams scuffled along the goal line over uncertainty as to whether the ball had crossed the line, Trusty waited for the signal before beginning his celebrations.

The Blades would settle the contest with two goals in 12 second-half minutes, eventually tacking on a late third before Wrexham grabbed a second in stoppage time.

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Pulisic to miss AC Milan’s final preseason friendly with ankle knock

The USMNT star will hope to be ready for Saturday’s Serie A opener

Christian Pulisic will be sidelined for AC Milan’s final preseason friendly with an ankle knock, per multiple reports.

Milan will face Monza on Tuesday for the Silvio Berlusconi Trophy, just days before the Rossoneri kick off the regular season with a league match against Torino on Saturday.

Gazzetta dello Sport and Calciomercato both reported that Pulisic will be held out against Monza, but should be recovered in time for Saturday’s match at San Siro.

Pulisic played in all three of Milan’s matches on its recently completed U.S. tour, coming off the bench against Man City and Real Madrid before starting and scoring a goal against Barcelona.

The 25-year-old will be looking to replicate, or even surpass his outstanding debut season with Milan. Pulisic scored a career-high 15 goals in all competitions last term, adding 11 assists.

Pulisic played mostly as a right winger last season, but new Milan coach Paulo Fonseca has used him in a more central role this preseason.

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Weah: I’ll be a ‘different player’ under Juventus coach Motta

The USMNT star is hoping a new coach and new position will turn his fortunes around

Tim Weah is hoping that a new season, a new coach and a new position can make all the difference for him at Juventus.

Weah move to Juve last summer from Lille, and was expected to lock down the team’s starting wingback spot under then-coach Max Allegri.

Instead, the U.S. international endured an up-and-down campaign that saw him mostly relegated to a substitute role by the second half of the season.

Though there were rumors Juve was looking to move on from the 24-year-old after just one season, he has instead been given an injection of new life by incoming head coach Thiago Motta.

Weah has been moved up to the wide attacking role he’s played for much of his club career, and continues to play with the U.S. men’s national team.

He’s also been used as a starter for most of the club’s preseason, indicating the USMNT winger is well positioned for a regular role under Motta in the upcoming season.

Weah spoke to his club’s website after its 2-0 preseason defeat to Atlético Madrid on Sunday, indicating he wasn’t concerned about a lack of preseason wins as he eyes a personal turnaround in 2024-25.

“I saw positive things today, especially in the first half. We have to continue to work like this in training, because the next game will be a league match and it will be more important. We are not worried about the loss, since it was a preseason friendly,” Weah said.

“I am totally focused on the field and on helping the team. We have to continue like this, all together. We have a new coach, a new system of play, we’re more focused on attack, and I think I will also be a different player, it’s what we work on together every day. We have very good rapport.”

Juventus will kick off the 2024-25 season next Monday with a league match against newly promoted Como.

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USMNT’s Aaronson scores equalizer at the death on Leeds return

It was a good afternoon for the USMNT attacker, but it could have been great

Brenden Aaronson returned to Leeds with a bang on Saturday — but the U.S international missed the chance to make it a truly special afternoon at Elland Road.

Aaronson scored a stoppage-time equalizer for Leeds against Portsmouth, netting in the 95th minute after coming on in the second half of his side’s Championship opener.

But just two minutes later, Aaronson missed the chance to complete his brace and seal a Leeds win by firing wide when in alone on goal.

Aaronson is back at Leeds after spending last season on loan with Union Berlin in the Bundesliga.

The 23-year-old had a difficult debut campaign at Elland Road in 2022-23, fading in the second half of the season as the club was relegated from the Premier League.

On Saturday, it looked like Leeds would suffer a demoralizing home loss to kick off the season after Callum Lang’s 93rd-minute penalty put Portsmouth ahead.

But Aaronson responded minutes later, carving out space for himself inside the box before firing home into the bottom corner.

Watch Aaronson’s goal vs. Portsmouth

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USMNT goalkeeper Slonina joins Barnsley on loan from Chelsea

The 20-year-old will take in his third loan since joining Chelsea in 2022

Chelsea goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina has joined Barnsley FC on loan for the 2024-25 season.

The League One club will not have a purchase option on the U.S. international.

Slonina, 20, spent last season on loan at KAS Eupen, making 34 appearances as the club was relegated from the Belgian top flight.

The Illinois native signed for Chelsea in 2022 from the Chicago Fire in a reported $10 million deal.

After finishing the 2022 MLS season with the Fire, Slonina spent a half season with Chelsea’s U-21 side before his move to Belgium last season.

Slonina is said to be highly rated at Chelsea, but it is unclear if he’ll have a chance to challenge for the starting role as the Blues continue to add more goalkeepers.

This week, Chelsea reportedly paid Genk up to €20 million to sign goalkeeper Mike Penders, with the Blues also signing Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal for €24m earlier in the summer.

Chelsea rotated between Djordje Petrovic and Robert Sánchez as its starting goalkeepers last season.

Slonina became the youngest USMNT goalkeeper ever when he started a January 2023 friendly against Serbia. He was on the team’s Olympic roster this summer, but didn’t see any action as he backed up Patrick Schulte.

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AC Milan boss Fonseca puts Musah transfer rumors to rest

The midfielder was strongly linked with a move to Lyon last week

Yunus Musah’s name has been involved in transfer rumors of late, but AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca is adamant that the American is going nowhere.

Last week, Foot Mercato reported that Lyon was in talks with Milan over a transfer for the midfielder, who was valued at €22 million.

Musah had an up-and-down debut campaign with Milan last term, shifting in and out of the lineup while playing a variety of positions.

Stefano Pioli left his position as Milan head coach at the end of the season, with Fonseca coming in from Lille as his replacement.

Fonseca has led Milan to wins over Manchester City and Real Madrid to kick off the team’s U.S. tour. After Musah played 25 minutes in Wednesday’s win over Madrid in Chicago, Fonseca made it clear that he envisions the 21-year-old staying for his sophomore campaign with Milan.

“I’m 200% sure he’s the kind of player for our game. He showed [against Real Madrid] in 30 minutes, it was amazing with just a few days of working with us,” Fonseca said to Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I’m very confident with him. I believe he can be very important for our team. But of course, he must improve many things, but my opinion? He has the right characteristics to play in this position in our game.”

Milan will close out its tour of the U.S. with a game against Barcelona in Baltimore on Tuesday.

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Leao: I’d prefer Pulisic to play as a No. 10

The Portuguese star wants to see Pulisic a bit closer to him on the field

Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic formed a potent connection with AC Milan last season, but the former is now hoping to see the latter play a bit closer to him on the pitch.

Pulisic had a career-best campaign with Milan in 2023-24, scoring 15 total goals as he lined up on the right flank, while Leão posed a huge attacking threat on the left flank.

The American star would occasionally be given chances to play more centrally as an attacking playmaker, producing some strong displays in the middle as well.

Leão would like to see Pulisic get more chances to play in the middle in 2024-25.

“I knew the quality of Christian. When he arrived, I sent him a message and I told him, ‘Bro, let’s kill them,’ because I needed someone like him to bring something different on the pitch,” Leão told “Futbol Americas” on ESPN.

“I’m very happy to have him as a teammate, he’s a player who can change the game like this,” he added. “I’m happy with him and I expect him to do the same or better this season.”

The Portugal international added: “I’m not a coach, but I prefer Christian as a No. 10. In the middle he has space to go to the left or the right and he shoots very well.

“I think Christian can be very dangerous as a No. 10, but I think he fits well in our team as a 10 or on the right. As a 10 he can give me assists, we can do one-twos in the middle of the pitch … he can do whatever.”

Leão could get his wish in the upcoming campaign, as new Milan coach Paulo Fonseca has said Pulisic is an option for him centrally.

Watch Leão discuss Pulisic

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