USMNT roster prediction: Will Matt Turner be left off of September squad?

USMNT’s Mauricio Pochettino: What to expect in his first 100 Days? | SOTU Goalkeepers Fullbacks Center backs Midfielders Wingers Strikers

Doug McIntyre

Soccer Journalist

The U.S. men’s national team still doesn’t have a new coach. What it does have is a game next week.

The Americans take on Jesse Marsch’s Canada in a friendly next Friday in Kansas City, and whether Maurcio Pochettino is officially welcomed as the USMNT’s new boss by then, there’s still a roster to be picked.

U.S. under-20 coach Mikey Varas selected the provisional squad sent to potential invitees’ club teams. It’s assumed that Varas will also choose the final list, which should be revealed in the coming days.

Determining who gets called in for the Canada match (and another exhibition vs. New Zealand on Sept. 10 in Cincinnati) isn’t easy. Several starters under Gregg Berhalter have begun the European season playing sparingly for their clubs or not at all. A few could join new teams before the summer transfer window slams shut on Friday night. Don’t be surprised if one or two aren’t summoned for the September games.

Pochettino wasn’t involved in the decision-making ahead of this camp, but it will still occur against the backdrop of the former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur manager’s impending arrival. The two games represent a chance for players to show the Argentine why they should be included moving forward.

The 2026 World Cup looms large. That all-important tournament, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, is now just 21 months away. The USMNT has just nine more scheduled get-togethers before the main event, which means most of Pochettino’s time will be spent assessing how American players are performing with their clubs.

With the new season underway and MLS entering its stretch run, a snapshot of the player pool’s current trajectory is below.

USMNT’s Mauricio Pochettino: What to expect in his first 100 Days? | SOTU

Goalkeepers

Longtime U.S. starter Matt Turner is now the third choice keeper at Premier League side Nottingham Forest, leaving his status as the No. 1 in serious jeopardy. The 30-year-old backstop desperately needs a new club. But in the absence of three obviously better options, there’s every chance Turner is still called in.

Ethan Horvath is off to a nightmare start with last place Cardiff City in England’ second tier. Youngster Gaga Slonina has acquitted himself so far well with third division Barnsley, but he could be better served staying put for the Tykes’ Sept. 7 league match. That leaves the door open for MLS keepers Zack Steffen and Patrick Schulte. The former just led the Colorado Rapids to the Leagues Cup semifinals. The latter ably backstopped the U.S. Olympic team, then claimed the Leagues Cup with the Columbus Crew.

Fullbacks

Antonee “Jedi” Robinson remains one of the Prem’s truly elite left backs; he logged all 90 minutes in each of Fulham‘s first two league games, including Saturday’s 2-1 win over Leicester City. Palermo’s Kristoffer Lund was Jedi’s understudy during the final 10 months of Berhalter’s tenure. But New York Red Bulls’ John Tolkin could challenge for Lund under Pochettino, as could Caleb Wiley, Tolkin’s backup at the Olympics. The 19-year-old Wiley, on a season-long loan from Chelsea to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, has started both of the French ‘s first two games.

On the right, Sergiño Dest remains out until 2025 with an ACL tear. Joe Scally manned that side during the Copa América and did well enough, though he’ll likely face competition from Bryan Reynolds and, after he recovers from a foot injury, Wolfsburg’s Kevin Paredes. It’s also worth noting that two-time World Cup veteran DeAndre Yedlin played for Pochettino at Tottenham and is still just 31.

Center backs

Chris Richards looked like a USMNT lock for years to come before Copa. The Crystal Palace man is less of a sure thing following a difficult tournament but still projects as a starter. Tim Ream partnered Richards this summer and was superb. Ream turns 37 in October, though, and just left Fulham for Charlotte in MLS. Even if it doesn’t happen immediately, he’ll probably have to be phased out before 2026. Miles Robinson and 31-year-old Walker Zimmermann paired at the Olympics with mixed results; Pochettino could favor the younger Cameron Carter-Vickers (“CCV” also played under Poch at Spurs) and Mark McKenzie, who just made the jump from Belgium to Ligue 1 Toulouse.

Midfielders

After serving as a sub in AC Milan’s Serie A opener, Yunus Musah started the Rossoneri’s second match — last weekend’s 2-1 loss at Parma. We’ll see if the defeat causes new manager Paulo Fonseca to further tweak his XI, but at least the 21-year-old is playing.

Two other key U.S. midfielders aren’t. Tyler Adams is still out for Bournemouth following post-Copa América back surgery. After shopping Weston McKennie all summer, Juventus decided to keep the Texan. But McKennie didn’t get off the bench in either of Juve’s first two games.

Gio Reyna did feature in Borussia Dortmund’s Bundesliga opener, entering for the final nine minutes of Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. Reyna, 21, again seems destined for a supporting part with the Black & Yellow. “He has to accept his role,” Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl told Bild this week.

So there’s opportunity there. Real Betis’ Johnny Cardoso is well positioned to seize it. So too are Tanner Tessman, who just signed with French power Lyon, and Aidan Morris, who is off to an excellent start with Middlesbrough in England’s Championship. German-based destroyer Lennard Maloney is still kicking around; he played all of Heidenheim’s first Bundesliga contest, a 2-1 victory over newly promoted St. Pauli.

The outlook isn’t as rosy for Luca de la Torre. A regular for Celta Vigo in Spain last season, De Le Torre has yet to make the bench under new manager Claudio Giráldez and doesn’t appear to be in the La Liga club’s plans.

Wingers

Coming off a career season with AC Milan last year, Christian Pulisic picked up where he left off. The USMNT headliner scored in the loss to Parma and probably has been Fonseca’s best player so far, which is great news for Pochettino and USMNT fans alike.

With two goals in Leeds’ first three games, Brenden Aaronson is the Championship club’s top scorer so far.

Malik Tillman also has two goals in three appearances for Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. Tim Weah scored a banger in Juve’s opening game on Aug. 19. But Weah injured his hamstring on the play and probably won’t feature for the U.S next month as a result, potentially opening the door for a new face. Apparently, it won’t be Connecticut-born try-national Luca Koleosho, who is reportedly set to join Italy’s senior squad next month. It could be Olympian Paxten Aaronson, who started both of Utrecht’s games this month. Brenden’s younger brother’s lone USMNT cap came almost two years ago.

Strikers

While a lingering injury limited Josh Sargent at the Copa América, right now he’s probably the USMNT’s best option up top. He’s definitely the hottest, with goals in each of his two most recent outings for Norwich City.

The first-choice U.S. striker for the last year-plus was Folarin Balogun. Balogun was an unused sub in Monaco’s last match but still figures to be included for the games against the Canadians and Kiwis.

Ricardo Pepi reprised his super-sub role for PSV last weekend, coming off the bench to bag his first of the new campaign. Will Pochettino demand regular minutes of the 21-year-old where Berhalter didn’t? And how will the new boss view Haji Wright? The well-traveled target man/left winger has two goals in three matches for Championship side Coventry City.

New coaches often like to shake things up, especially in the attack. Could that reopen the door for the estranged likes of Brandon Vazquez and Jordan Pefok? Given Pochettino’s decade-plus working at the highest level in Europe, playing in Mexico probably doesn’t help Vazquez, who just scored his first goal of Liga MX’s Apertura season in Monterrey’s sixth game.

Meantime, Pefok went all 90 minutes for Union Berlin in Saturday’s 1-1 tie with Mainz. The 28-year-old had five goals in 25 Bundesliga games while on loan to Borussia Mönchengladbach last season.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports. He was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports before joining FOX Sports in 2021, and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.

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