The MLS playoffs are in full swing, the US men’s national team (USMNT) are due to face England on Thursday and ‘soccer’ seems to be the word on everyone’s lips across the Atlantic at the moment.
The beautiful game really seems to be taking off in the US right now – crowds are on the up, supporters are getting more and more fervent and the increase in quality is really starting to rub off on the USMNT.
There was a time when Freddy Adu was regarded as a bigger talent than Lionel Messi before his career span in a totally different direction to the Argentine ace and US talents took a bit of a hit to their reputation.
However, with Christian Pulisic now tearing the Bundesliga apart, the pride and credibility seems to be coming back to US football.
But Pulisic is merely the tip of the iceberg that is emerging stateside at the moment – here are 10 US wonderkids emerging right now that you should definitely keep your eyes on.
1. Tyler Adams
(Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
Age: 19
Club: New York Red Bulls
Position: Central midfield/full-back
Currently vying for a place in MLS Cup with New York Red Bulls, Tyler Adams’ big move seems to be creeping ever closer.
Adams made his first-team debut in 2016 and emerged as a regular starter a year later, aged just 17. Operating mainly as a central midfielder, but also able to fill in at full-back, Adams is blessed with seemingly endless amounts of stamina, while his bursts forward from midfield provide the Red Bulls with a real attacking threat from deep, often overloading their opponents.
Even at the tender age of 19, Tyler Adams is being touted for a move to a big European side once this MLS season ends and the seven caps he has already earned for the USMNT are a real indicator of the player’s pedigree.
2. Antonee Robinson
(Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
Age: 21
Club: Wigan Athletic (on loan from Everton)
Position: Left-back
Antonee Robinson is the ideal fit for a modern full-back. The 21-year-old is quick, blessed with great ability on the ball and has the fitness to relentlessly get up and down the left-hand side.
Robinson hasn’t yet been given his competitive breakthrough at Everton but has already played 14 Championship games on loan at Wigan Athletic this season, while his five assists on loan at a struggling Bolton Wanderers side last season didn’t go unnoticed, earning him his USMNT call-up. With Leighton Baines not getting any younger, we may well see Robinson battling it out with Lucas Digne for the left-back spot at Goodison Park in the near future.
3. Weston McKennie
(Photo credit MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images)
Age: 20
Club: FC Schalke 04
Position: Central midfield
Given their second-placed Bundesliga finish last season – finishing eight points clear of third-placed Hoffenheim – much was expected of Schalke this season.
However, Die Königsblauen have simply failed to deliver, losing seven of their opening 11 Bundesliga games and languishing in 14th in the league table. One player who has flourished so far, though, is 20-year-old American midfielder, Weston McKennie.
McKennie has already played 15 times this season, scoring twice, including the winning goal in a 1-0 Champions League triumph over Lokomotiv Moscow. The midfielder has been capped six times for the USMNT already, scoring once, and his excellence in the air gives him a real edge in the middle of the park.
4. Timothy Weah
(Photo credit should read GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
Age: 18
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Position: Centre-forward
Being the son of ex-Ballon d’Or winner George Weah is bound to come with a certain amount of pressure. 18-year-old Timothy Weah, however, seems to be taking to life in the fast lane like a duck to water.
Blessed with brilliant technical ability, and a turn of pace to boot, Weah has only made three first-team appearances for PSG this season but has already managed two goals in that time. The 18-year-old also featured heavily for the French champions in pre-season and is seen as one of their real hopes for the future. Let’s hope it really is ‘like father, like son.’
5. Josh Sargent
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Age: 18
Club: Werder Bremen
Position: Centre-forward
Josh Sargent already has seven goals for Weder Bremen’s B team, who play in the German fourth tier, as well as two goals for the USMNT.
Germany seems to be a real breeding ground for young, American talent at the moment and if Sargent can keep up this kind of goalscoring form for the second string, it is only a matter of time until the Missouri-born striker gets a chance in Florian Kohfeldt’s first team.
6. Jonathan Amon
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Age: 19
Club: FC Nordsjaelland
Position: Left-winger
Some footballers’ career paths can take on a peculiar route and an American winger plying his trade in Denmark is no exception.
However, Jonathan Amon is finding great success playing for Superliga side FC Nordsjaelland, scoring six goals in 23 professional games so far. The 19-year-old is lightning fast, agile and has a keen eye for goal, earning him a first senior international cap against Peru earlier this month.
7. Cameron Carter-Vickers
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Age: 20
Club: Swansea City (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
Position: Centre-back
Cameron Carter-Vickers is strong, powerful in the tackle and has a great footballing brain, allowing him to read the game brilliantly from a centre-back position.
The 20-year-old is currently on loan at Swansea City but is one of a clutch of promising, young Tottenham Hotspur defenders, which also includes Kyle Walker-Peters and Juan Foyth. With Toby Alderweireld rumoured to be seeking a move away from North London, and Jan Verthongen not getting any younger, Carter-Vickers may return from his loan spell to find himself battling for a place in the starting XI at the new White Hart Lane – after all, Mauricio Pochettino is famously good at developing young talent.
8. Giovanni Reyna
Making a name for himself.
@NYCFC Academy's Giovanni Reyna wins title & Golden Ball at 2017 Generation adidas Cup. https://t.co/0sy7bKUe5P pic.twitter.com/6dFJdIhY3w
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 18, 2017
Age: 16
Club: New York City FC
Position: Forward
“I’m there to support him, to teach him. Not to tell him he’s great, but that he’s got a long way to go, he’s got to continue to work and develop good habits and to continue to guide him.” That is what father and ex-Manchester City defender Claudio Reyna told Goal when asked about a potential move to Borussia Dortmund for Giovanni Reyna.
At 16-years-old, it is very early days for Reyna and it would be totally unfair to place lofty expectations on him. However, the forward is being touted as one of the real shining lights for the future of US football. The variety and accuracy of his passing is excellent, while he reads the game frighteningly well for a 16-year-old. Remember the name.
9. Jonathan Klinsmann
(Photo credit TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP/Getty Images)
Age: 21
Club: Hertha Berlin
Position: Goalkeeper
Yes, you guessed it, the son of one of the most feared strikers of all time has become a goalkeeper.
Much of Jonathan Klinsmann’s football has come for the Hertha Berlin B team to this point but, with four clean sheets in nine games this season at that level, the 21-year-old is certainly letting Rune Jarstein know that he is after his spot.
Klinsmann made his professional debut for Hertha in the Europa League last season, in which he saved a penalty in a 1–1 home draw against Östersunds FK. With 28 caps under his belt for the US at youth level, he isn’t short of experience and will be looking for his big break soon.
10. Erik Palmer-Brown
(Photo credit JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)
Age: 21
Club: NAC Breda (on loan from Manchester City)
Position: Centre-back
Part of a whole catalogue of Manchester City youngsters from around the globe, Erik Palmer-Brown has made four appearances on loan in the Eredivisie with NAC Breda.
Palmer-Brown is a very ‘modern’ centre-back, adding to his set-piece threat with a real willingness to play the ball out from the back and launch attacks from the first station pass. The 21-year-old won the US Open Cup with Sporting Kansas City, captained the US U20 side to the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, winning the Golden Ball in the process, and reached the quarter-finals of the 2017 U20 FIFA World Cup – quite a return already.
The post The 10 US wonderkids to watch appeared first on Squawka News.
From Squawka NewsSquawka News https://ift.tt/2FnIHXy
No comments:
Post a Comment