Last summer was absolutely massive when it came to U.S. men’s national team players finding new clubs.
A large portion of the USMNT’s core was on the move ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, with most players securing permanent transfers and a few others joining new teams on loan.
This summer doesn’t look like it will feature quite so many key USMNT players moving, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a quiet offseason either.
There are also likely to be several players just outside of the USMNT picture changing clubs, especially after the shop window that is the 2024 Olympics. Names like Jack McGlynn, Griffin Yow, Rokas Pukštas, Esmir Bajraktarevic, Caleb Wiley and Tanner Tessmann are all worthy of a mention.
For the purposes of this exercise, though, we’ll stick to players more ingrained with the USMNT. Below are 10 core USMNT players that could have new homes when the 2024-25 season kicks off.
Aaronson’s first season at Leeds went from promising to disastrous, and this season’s loan at Union Berlin has followed the opposite course.
After starting the season with no goal contributions in his first 17 Bundesliga games, Aaronson now has three in 11. It’s not a massive return, of course, but it could convince Union Berlin that the 23-year-old is worth a permanent deal at the end of the season.
Aaronson himself has said he’d be open to staying in Berlin on a long-term basis, but it may not entirely be up to him.
Estimating where Aaronson may play next season is difficult right now, because we don’t know where either of his two prospective teams may be playing: Leeds is in the promotion playoffs to return to the Premier League, while Union Berlin is battling relegation.
Cardoso is a curious name on this list, and he never would have been here were it not for a report last week in Diario de Sevilla.
The newspaper claimed that Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig were among the clubs eyeing a summer move for the USMNT midfielder, who only just joined Real Betis in December.
Betis may be open to turning a quick profit on the 22-year-old. Cardoso joined the La Liga side from Brazilian outfit Internacional for a reported €6 million. Now? Betis will start the bidding at €30m.
Dest had a much-needed comeback season on loan at PSV before recently suffering an ACL tear.
Even with the injury, PSV head coach Peter Bosz said that the Eredivisie champions would like to activate the fullback’s €10 million purchase option from Barcelona.
With Xavi — a man Dest said he can’t play for — returning as Barça head coach next season and the fullback’s injury likely cooling other clubs’ interest, a permanent move to PSV looks like it makes sense for all parties.
McKennie has has been one of his side’s top performers in 2023-24, regaining a prominent role with Juventus after an ill-fated loan with Leeds in the second half of last season.
The midfielder’s displays now leave him and his club at a crossroads. With his contract expiring in June 2025, this summer will be decisive. McKennie will either sign a new deal with the Bianconeri, or he’ll likely be sold to ensure the Serie A power doesn’t lose him for free.
McKennie has said he’d like to stay in Turin, but also left the door to an exit slightly ajar.
Despite his rough spell with Leeds, some of the Premier League’s biggest sides have been linked with the 25-year-old Texan.
Reyna is nearing the end of a mostly lost season, with the first half spent hardly playing at Dortmund and the second half spent, well, also hardly playing at Nottingham Forest.
Where that leaves Reyna heading into next season is anyone’s guess, but the signs once again aren’t great.
A report from Ruhr Nachrichten last month said Edin Terzić was set to stay as head coach next season — and that was before he led Dortmund to the Champions League final. Given the manager’s general distaste for Reyna, that would qualify as a bad development for the 21-year-old.
With his value at a low ebb, though, would Dortmund sell Reyna this summer? That seems unlikely as well. Reyna may be forced to convince the reticent Terzić that he deserves more minutes, or he could head out on another loan.
Sargent has been prolific with Norwich this season, scoring 16 league goals in 26 games. The USMNT forward was only outscored by five players in the Championship, despite missing half the season with an ankle injury.
The 24-year-old may be heading for the Premier League next season, though it’s not entirely clear which team he’d be representing.
Norwich is currently preparing for a playoff semifinal against Leeds. Should the Canaries go up, Sargent would likely stay but if not, there appears to be at least one Premier League side ready to pounce.
After starring on loan at Rangers last season, Tillman has done the same at PSV this time around. The 21-year-old has tallied nine goals and 11 assists this term, helping his side lift the Eredivisie title.
Just like last season, Tillman’s future is up in the air as the summer nears. PSV has a reported €10 million purchase option on the USMNT attacker, and the club has indicated it would like to use it.
But Bayern also has a buy-back clause that could complicate matters. Tillman told NOS last week he wouldn’t mind staying at PSV, but whichever manager takes over Bayern may have something to say about that.
Turner began the season as Forest’s starter, but a serious of calamitous errors saw him replaced at midseason. It’s hard to see how he’ll ever regain his spot back in Nottingham — whether Forest is relegated or not.
The USMNT No. 1 admitted he may have to “move backwards” again this summer, just a year after leaving Arsenal for his first real shot at a starting gig in the Premier League.
Turner may not be a starting-caliber keeper at the very highest level, but the 29-year-old could still do well at a European club that doesn’t require him to make high-risk passes out of the back.
This summer will be key, because Gregg Berhalter probably won’t be pleased to see his starting keeper once again on the bench come next season.
Weah was expected to take over Juve’s right wingback spot in his first season with the club, but has increasingly found himself on the periphery as the campaign has gone on.
Reports out of Italy have suggested that Juve could be ready to cut its losses and sell the 24-year-old over the summer. That may not be the worst outcome for a player who’s still never topped 2,000 minutes in any club season.
Weah’s future may come down to the view of Juve’s new manager, with Max Allegri widely expected to be replaced over the summer.
