A pair of young Americans are looking to follow in the footsteps of Weston McKennie.
According to ESPN FC, Atlanta United Academy forward Zyen Jones and left back Chris Gloster, a New York Red Bulls prospect, are headed to Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga for trials. Both players are 17-years-old.
Gloster was the U.S. U-17 National Team’s primary left back during the U-17 World Cup, while Jones scored twice at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship last year.
Neither player will be eligible for a professional contract until they turn 18 over the summer, however they could be invited to join the club’s youth team, as Josh Sargent has done at Werder Bremen.
Schalke already have a history of bringing young American talent over to Germany. Weston McKennie came to the club from the FC Dallas Academy in 2016 and has been getting regular time with the first team this year. Fellow prospects Haji Wright and Nick Taitague are also with the club.
I’ve heard the same thing from a few people on this board. But…
USMMT could use upgrades at nearly every position. Wouldn’t a ball-playing center back with the touch of a midfielder be useful? There’s a dearth of such center backs in world football generally. If Weston can develop into that…. I can’t blaim Schalke. He’s listed as 6’1″ and has hops (e.g. Portugal game header off post).
I guess I just don’t see the prioritization of one spine position over another.
I mean i get that he already is a skilled central midfielder and it’s not clear he’d develop into a good CB (bird in hand philosophy).
But let’s say you could have a superior CM or a superior CB with the ball skills of a mid… I’d lean towards the latter, and at minimum it’s a toss-up.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
I’d be more excited if they didn’t somehow look at Weston McKinnie and see a CB.
Lordy. One of the brightest midfield talents in recent American history…and the Germans see a CB?
Yeah that is depressing as hell