John Brooks has, at long last, found his next club.
The U.S. men’s national team center back, who became a free agent on July 1 after five seasons with Wolfsburg, has signed with Benfica on a one-year contract.
Brooks and Wolfsburg mutually announced that they would not be reaching a deal over a contract extension all the way back in March. Despite being linked with a few suitors over the summer—most credibly with Hoffenheim, while some flimsier rumors pointed towards Feyenoord or Saudi Arabia—it was mostly quiet for Brooks as the transfer window raged on throughout the summer.
However, the last two days of the transfer window got lively for him. First, Brooks seemed certain to sign for Mallorca, with reports going as far as to say that he was photographed at the Visit Mallorca Stadium.
Then, on deadline day, a dramatic reversal. Benfica reportedly came in at the last minute and won Brooks over. While league play in Portugal isn’t at the same level as what Brooks would have seen in LaLiga, the fact is that Benfica offers a guarantee of Champions League soccer this season, and a strong chance of being back there in years to come. Mallorca, who avoided relegation by a single point last year, can’t say the same.
Does this boost Brooks’ USMNT chances?
Finding an attack-minded club with real pressure to win the league may be the best answer Brooks has for Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT. Berhalter has not called Brooks in since September 2021, and in July told ESPN’s Fútbol Americas that among other things, he wanted to see Brooks improve when playing with a high line, as the USMNT intends to use.
Benfica is generally the aggressor in its league matches, so the high line issue should be answered one way or another. On the other hand, Brooks will join a team that already has six center backs vying for two spots in manager Roger Schmidt’s 4-2-3-1 formation. Veteran Nicolás Otamendi has partnered Morato in Champions League qualifying, while Lucas Veríssimo and João Victor return from injury. Jan Vertonghen is also at Benfica, but academy product António Silva got the nod alongside Otamendi in a recent 3-0 win at Boavista.
In other words, if Brooks can battle his way to a starting role here, he’s doing everything Berhalter has said he needs to do. It’s just a big “if” to be facing less than three months from the World Cup.
[lawrence-related id=4915,3046,1312]