John Brooks – Syndication Server

Ex-USMNT defender Brooks to leave Hoffenheim as free agent

The 31-year-old defender leaves after a season and a half at the Bundesliga club

John Brooks will not return to Hoffenheim when his contract expires next month, the Bundesliga club has announced.

The defender joined Hoffenheim from Benfica in January 2023, and went on to play 39 games for the club.

Brooks stabilized the club’s defense last season, helping it avoid relegation. After beginning this season as a starter, the 31-year-old eventually lost his position as Hoffenheim qualified for the Europa Conference League with a seventh-place finish.

“Jay came to us in a very challenging sporting situation to bring stability to the defense with his enormous experience and personality,” Hoffenheim’s managing director for sport, Alexander Rosen, said in a statement.

“With his qualities and remarkable presence, he had an impact on our game from day one. Over the past year and a half, Jay has played a key role in helping us stay out of the relegation zone last season and qualify for a European competition this term.”

Brooks was a onetime fixture of the U.S. men’s national team, but has not been capped since September 2021.

Overall, Brooks has 45 caps for the USMNT and three goals — including a memorable winning header against Ghana at the 2014 World Cup.

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The Americans Abroad Five: Musah emerges at AC Milan

The USMNT midfielder just had the best week of his early AC Milan career

We’ve talked quite a bit about Christian Pulisic’s strong start at AC Milan, but now another offseason USMNT addition is making his move with the Rossoneri.

Yunus Musah just had the best week of his early Milan career, turning in a strong cameo in a midweek draw against Newcastle before making his first start for Milan in Saturday’s 1-0 win against Hellas Verona.

Now in his fourth full season of first-team soccer, it’s easy to forget Musah is still only 20. The midfielder still has rough edges to smooth out, but it looks like he’ll have plenty of chances to do so while learning on the job with Milan this season.

This week’s Five kicks off with an encouraging week for the USMNT midfielder.

The Americans Abroad Five: PSV showing promise for USMNT trio

Sergiño Dest, Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi should all be big factors for the Dutch giants this season

In the span of just a few months, PSV became one of the first clubs on the list of anyone monitoring Americans Abroad.

Three players who figure to play a key role over the next decade for the U.S. men’s national team — Sergiño Dest, Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi — all joined the Dutch giants over the summer.

The transformation of PSV into a hub for Americans is largely due to Earnie Stewart, the former sporting director of U.S. Soccer who now holds the same position with PSV.

The season is still young, but there are some promising signs coming out of Eindhoven for all three USMNT players.

Dest looks to be the player who’s immediately benefitted the most, but Tillman and Pepi can also be encouraged by their first month at the club.

Let’s kick off this week’s Five with a look at PSV’s American trio.

USMNT coach Callaghan explains Brooks omission from Gold Cup roster

There will be no USMNT return for the 30-year-old this summer

John Brooks will not be making his U.S. men’s national team return this summer.

The Hoffenheim defender was not included in the USMNT’s 23-man roster for the Gold Cup on Monday, meaning his wait for a first cap since September 2021 will continue.

The 30-year-old has been in strong form for Hoffenheim since moving from Benfica in January, becoming a fixture in the club’s lineup and helping it avoid relegation from the Bundesliga.

Brooks declared his interest in a return to the national team in April, saying he was hopeful he could still play a part as the team looked ahead to a home World Cup in 2026.

Speaking to U.S. Soccer’s website, interim head coach B.J. Callaghan addressed Brooks’ absence from a Gold Cup squad that saw 16 of its 23 players come from MLS.

Callaghan affirmed Brooks’ desire to return to the USMNT, but said that he and his staff felt that a full preseason with Hoffenheim would be more beneficial to him than participating in the Gold Cup.

“We had a number of good conversations with John. As a starting point, he reiterated his commitment to the national team program and how much it means to him,” Callaghan said. “He is coming off a season at Hoffenheim where he was a key member of their fight to avoid relegation.

“This summer he will have the chance to participate in a full preseason with them for the first time, so we felt in this particular moment it’s best for him to take advantage of that opportunity and be performing at his highest level in the upcoming season to position himself to contribute to the national team in the future.”

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The Americans Abroad Five: Balogun already setting American records

Balogun has more goals this season than every USMNT player in the top five leagues combined

If it wasn’t already apparent, Folarin Balogun emphasized this weekend just how big of a coup his commitment to the U.S. national team was.

Balogun scored his 20th Ligue 1 goal of the season for Reims, a milestone that no American man in a top-five European league had ever reached. The previous high-water mark was the 17 goals Clint Dempsey scored with Fulham in 2011-12.

Not only is Balogun a clear upgrade on any American striker right now, he has reached a level this season that very few forwards across Europe’s top leagues have been able to match.

Did we mention he is still just 21?

Let’s kick off this week’s Five with a look at the now-confirmed USMNT forward.

USMNT Nations League roster: Brooks, Balogun named to preliminary squad

Anthony Hudson included big names new and old

The U.S. men’s national team has released a 60-player preliminary roster for its upcoming CONCACAF Nations League matches.

Coach Anthony Hudson was free to include Folarin Balogun after the Reims striker chose the USMNT in a high-profile recruiting win. Meanwhile, veteran center back John Brooks — who recently expressed hopes of a recall after nearly two years in the wilderness — was included in the squad.

Hudson will have to cut this group down to a final 23-player roster no later than June 5. The USMNT will play Mexico at Allegiant Stadium just outside Las Vegas on June 15, with either a final or third-place game taking place on June 18.

Balogun is joined by some intriguing potential USMNT newcomers. He’s not the only dual national in the frame for a possible first cap, with Timothy Tillman — who recently filed for a switch of allegiance from Germany to the U.S. — on Hudson’s roster.

24-year-old defender Marlon Fossey, who hasn’t been called in for a U.S. Soccer team since his days with the Under-20s in 2017 and remains eligible for the U.S. and England, joins them on the list after a breakout season in Belgium with Standard Liège.

Some notable names were also left off despite the huge preliminary squad size. Paxten Aaronson, whose club Eintracht Frankfurt refused to release him for the U-20 World Cup, headlines that list. FC Cincinnati’s Roman Celentano was overlooked, while injuries have kept Tim Ream, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Malik Tillman out of the squad.

Notably, there is no overlap with the U-20 World Cup squad, with that tournament potentially running through June 11. That means no spot in the team for top future prospects like Cade Cowell, Jonathan Gómez, Kevin Paredes, Gabriel Slonina, Caleb Wiley, and Josh Wynder.

USMNT Nations League preliminary roster

Goalkeepers (5): Drake Callender (Inter Miami), Ethan Horvath (Luton Town), Sean Johnson (Toronto FC), Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough), Matt Turner (Arsenal)

Defenders (21): John Brooks (Hoffenheim), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Sergiño Dest (AC Milan), Marlon Fossey (Standard Liège), DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution), Aaron Long (Los Angeles FC), Mark McKenzie (KRC Genk), Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Bryan Reynolds (KVC Westerlo), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), James Sands (New York City FC), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Auston Trusty (Birmingham City), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

Midfielders (19): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC), Tyler Adams (Leeds United), Taylor Booth (FC Utrecht), Gianluca Busio (Venezia), Johnny Cardoso (Internacional), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Julian Gressel (Vancouver Whitecaps), Richie Ledezma (New York City FC), Weston McKennie (Leeds United), Djordje Mihailovic (AZ), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Alan Soñora (FC Juárez), Tanner Tessman (Venezia), Timothy Tillman (Los Angeles FC), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes)

Forwards (15): Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Folarin Balogun (Stade Reims), Tyler Boyd (LA Galaxy), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Matthew Hoppe (Hibernian), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati), Tim Weah (Lille), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor), Alex Zendejas (Club América)

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The Americans Abroad Five: So, who’s getting relegated?

Several USMNT players are battling to avoid the drop as the season winds down

Last season’s crop of top-flight Americans Abroad saw their ranks thinned significantly after a number of relegations.

Some moved on to bigger and better things (Luca de la Torre), some dropped down a division and thrived (Tanner Tessmann and Josh Sargent), while some saw their personal stock sink along with their team (George Bello and Gianluca Busio).

This season appears to be mercifully lighter when it comes to Americans facing the drop in major European leagues, but there are still some notable names who could be sent packing to the second tier in the coming weeks.

This weekend saw some significant movement, both good and bad, for the relegation-threatened Americans Abroad. Let’s start the Five with a look at a vital weekend in the race to avoid the drop.

Brooks hoping for USMNT return: ‘I’m not that old yet’

It’s been nearly two years since the most recent of the defender’s 45 caps

John Brooks is not ready to give up on the U.S. national team just yet.

Once a fixture for the USMNT, the defender has not been called up since the fall of 2021. Last summer, then-head coach Gregg Berhalter explained that Brooks did not fit the team’s game model.

After an ill-fated move to Benfica, Brooks has found his feet again in Germany with Hoffenheim. The 30-year-old has started all but two of the club’s Bundesliga matches since joining in January, and has helped the club climb out of the relegation zone.

Speaking to Hoffenheim’s website, Brooks recalled how decided to represent the U.S., his father’s homeland, ahead of Germany, where he was born and raised.

“At the time I was very interested in American culture and wanted to get to know it better,” he said. “I always spoke English with my father and went to an English-speaking school, but apart from that I had a German life. For me, traveling with the national team was also a chance to learn more about my father’s origins.”

Brooks ended up making the 2014 World Cup roster as a 21-year-old. His World Cup debut turned into one of the greatest moments of his career, as he came off the bench and scored a dramatic 86th-minute winner in the team’s opener against Ghana.

“Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. You can’t even put it into words,” he said. “Somehow the guy from the flank found my head. I’ll never forget that moment.”

On his celebration he added: “I didn’t know what to do after that. I was stunned and just overjoyed.”

Brooks may not have fit Berhalter’s game model, but the potential of a new USMNT coach coming could offer the defender a route back to the national team.

Berhalter is still a candidate for the position, which is being filled on an interim basis by Anthony Hudson. After a tumultuous period following the World Cup, however, new sporting director Matt Crocker could opt to turn the page on the Berhalter era.

Nearly two years after the most recent of his 45 caps, Brooks is still hopeful he’ll get another shot with the USMNT.

“I think if I perform well here I can still be an option for the national team. I’m not that old yet,” he said with a laugh.

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The Americans Abroad Five: Is Malik Tillman ready for Bayern?

The on-loan Rangers star may have played himself into a state of purgatory

Every time Malik Tillman puts in a strong performance, which is pretty often these days, Rangers manager Michael Beale is forced to once again address the midfielder’s status at the club beyond this season.

And every time, Beale basically says the same thing: Yes he wants to keep Tillman. Yes, he thinks Tillman would like to stay long term. Yes, Rangers are in talks to make it happen. And no, he doesn’t know if it’s actually going to work.

Tillman’s one-year loan from Bayern Munich has a unique structure: Rangers hold a purchase option worth a reported £5 million. That’s looking like an increasingly easy decision for Rangers but there’s a catch: Bayern also reportedly holds a buy-back clause that it could trigger immediately after Rangers use their own purchase option.

It would see Rangers make an instant profit, and instantly lose a player they see as a cornerstone for the future.

Prior to the season, the 20-year-old was virtually unproven in senior club soccer. Now he’s played himself into a weird state of purgatory: maybe too good for the Scottish Premiership but also maybe not ready for the 10-time defending Bundesliga champions.

Tillman’s breakout campaign and his intriguing summer ahead lead this week’s Americans Abroad Five.

Cameron Carter-Vickers to miss USMNT September friendlies

Berhalter is now dealing with a fifth injury-related absentee

Cameron Carter-Vickers is the latest player to end up unavailable for the upcoming U.S. men’s national team friendlies against Japan and Saudi Arabia.

The Celtic center back was on Gregg Berhalter’s initial roster, but will not participate in the USMNT’s September friendlies after picking up an as-yet-unspecified injury in training.

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglu told the Daily Record early on Sunday that the 24-year-old would likely miss the USMNT camp, and that they hoped to have him available coming out of the international break.

“We’ll see how he is. I think he’s out of the US camp,” said Postecoglu. “We are hoping, post-international break, he won’t be too far away.”

Speaking at halftime of ESPN‘s broadcast of the Columbus Crew hosting the Portland Timbers, Berhalter confirmed that Carter-Vickers would not participate in friendlies against Japan (September 23 in Dusseldorf) and Saudi Arabia (September 27 in Murcia).

“Cam will be out of this camp, which is unfortunate,” said Berhalter. “We wanted to get him in and get him around the group this camp, but unfortunately he won’t be in. We are working on a replacement as we speak.”

Carter-Vickers is the latest USMNT player to end up unavailable in this window. Antonee Robinson and Tim Weah are both dealing with ankle sprains, though both players are believed to be close to a return. Zack Steffen was supposed to be out in order to rest and overcome a knee injury, but started for Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Berhalter then called in Internacional midfielder Johnny Cardoso as a replacement for Yunus Musah, who picked up what Valencia has said is a minor groin injury after the initial roster was announced.

Who will Berhalter call in to replace Carter-Vickers?

There was no immediate announcement of the USMNT’s choice to replace Carter-Vickers, but it stands to reason that Berhalter will add a center back to a squad that is currently down to just three (Aaron Long, Chris Richards, and Walker Zimmerman) rather than boosting numbers at a different position.

Mark McKenzie and Erik Palmer-Brown feel like the leading candidates at this point. While McKenzie has been in and out of Genk’s lineup so far this season, he has more of a history under Berhalter. However, Palmer-Brown has started every game for Troyes in Ligue 1, which may be enough to see him push ahead in what is probably a last chance to stake a claim on a World Cup spot for both players.

Berhalter also mentioned Matt Miazga as someone he’s been monitoring after announcing his squad, meaning the FC Cincinnati man is also a candidate here. While Berhalter also mentioned Fulham captain Tim Ream, it came with a note about how the style of play Ream does well in is not a good mesh with the USMNT’s system. A similar situation is likely to keep John Brooks out of the reckoning, even after the USMNT veteran sealed a move to Benfica.

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