With majority of the top European leagues continuing through their offseason, the roster reshuffling has also continued for many clubs.
Tyler Adams, Ethan Horvath, and Weston McKennie headline the growing list of American players that could be on the move with new opportunities on the horizon. Last season’s loanees such as Zack Steffen and Auston Trusty could also be on the move with their immediate futures unknown at their parent clubs.
Several of these players have already been linked with potential moves elsewhere, while others could also be expected to move in order to earn consistent playing time elsewhere.
Here’s a closer look at the American Abroad contingent who remain linked with moves this summer:
Tyler Adams
Leeds United’s relegation from the English Premier League could spell an early exit for midfielder Tyler Adams.
Adams made 26 combined appearances for the Yorkshire club before a hamstring injury sidelined him for the final two months of the season. The 24-year-old was one of the few bright spots for Leeds United prior to his injury and could be on the radar of several top-flight clubs going forward.
Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion were previously linked with Adams ahead of an early start to their campaigns due to European involvement. However, Adams is still recovering from his hamstring injury that he suffered last March, which could halt any potential move away from Elland Road.
Sergino Dest
22-year-old Sergino Dest took a step back in his European development this season after failing to earn a starting role for AC Milan.
Dest made just 14 combined appearances this season while on loan in Milan, with his last club appearance coming back in January. The versatile fullback is currently with Barcelona for its U.S. preseason tour, but there is no guarantee that Xavi keeps Dest long-term with Ronald Araujo and Sergi Roberto staying as right back options.
Fulham and Crystal Palace have been linked as potential landing spots for Dest this summer.
Weston McKennie
Weston McKennie is another USMNT midfielder that has an intriguing summer ahead of him.
McKennie made 20 appearances on loan during the second half of the European season with Leeds United, but was unable to help keep the Yorkshire club in the Premier League. The 24-year-old scored three goals and added three assists with Juventus during the first half of the season, but was allowed to head out on loan during Jesse Marsch’s time as Leeds manager.
Brighton & Hove Albion previously targeted McKennie as a potential replacement for Moises Caicedo this summer.
McKennie is with Juventus for its U.S. tour, but remains on the bubble in Massimiliano Allegra’s squad.
Zack Steffen
Zack Steffen earned important minutes this season with English Football League Championship side Middlesbrough, but the veteran shot-stopper doesn’t know what’s next for him at club level.
The 28-year-old registered 10 clean sheets in 45 combined appearances in the Championship, helping Michael Carrick’s squad reach the promotion playoffs.
EFL Championship side Leicester City has reportedly targeted Steffen for a permanent move from Man City this summer. However, no progress has been made on the move in recent weeks, while the Foxes open their season in mid-August.
Malik Tillman
Scottish Premiership club Rangers certainly enjoyed Malik Tillman’s production during his loan spell in Glasgow, but it seems unlikely that the American attacker will make a move back to Ibrox Stadium this summer.
Tillman, 21, is back at his parent club Bayern Munich following an impressive loan spell in Scotland, which saw him register 12 goals and five assists in 43 combined appearances. The USMNT attacker was previously linked with a permanent return to Ibrox Stadium, but interest has reportedly died down in recent weeks.
Bundesliga club Stuttgart was linked with a potential move for Tillman, while Brighton & Hove Albion and Eintracht Frankfurt have also been mentioned with him.
Tillman earned PFA Scotland Best XI and Rangers’ Young Player of the Year honors.
Folarin Balogun
Folarin Balogun enjoyed one of the more productive loan spells in recent Americans Abroad history and will be a hot commodity in Europe this summer.
Balogun scored 22 combined goals on loan with Ligue 1 side Stade Reims this season, taking a major step forward in his overall development. The Arsenal loanee originally came through the Gunners’ academy ranks before also spending time on loan with Middlesbrough last season.
Whether or not Mikel Arteta rates Balogun as a long-term option in the Arsenal squad remains to be seen, but many European clubs would surely want a double-digit goalscorer in their squad.
Matt Turner
USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner was reduced to just seven appearances with Arsenal mainly featuring in the Europa League and domestic cup competitions.
Turner made the move from MLS last summer with aspirations of consistent playing time, but instead served as Aaron Ramsdale’s backup for the entire season. Similar to Zack Steffen’s prior move to Manchester City, Turner might need a loan spell in order to earn regular minutes and remain the USMNT’s No. 1 going forward.
Haji Wright
Turkish side Antalyaspor has continued to receive interest for USMNT attacker Haji Wright and after a second-consecutive positive season in the Super Lig, Wright could be on the move this summer.
The 25-year-old has contributed 16 goals in 28 combined appearances for Nuri Sahin’s squad, remaining the club’s No. 1 goalscoring option yet again. Wright has already been linked with Villarreal, Rangers, and several others for a potential move.
With European Football likely on his radar, a transfer could potentially lead to a larger role for club and country.
Ethan Horvath
Luton Town’s Premier League promotion was credited to many things, but Ethan Horvath’s stability in goal played a major reason for it.
Horvath, who spent the entire season on loan from Nottingham Forest, registered 20 clean sheets in 51 combined appearances for the Hatters, finishing as one of the league’s top goalkeepers. The 27-year-old played minimally in Nottingham Forest’s promotion last season, but rebounded nicely to keep him in the USMNT goalkeeping picture.
Luton Town reportedly declined the option to acquire Horvath on a permanent deal, opening the door to a potential move elsewhere this summer.
Auston Trusty
Auston Trusty’s impressive loan spell at Birmingham City certainly caught the eye of several English clubs ahead of a potential transfer away from Arsenal.
Trusty has remained with Arsenal for its U.S. preseason tour this summer, but his long-term role remains undetermined. The former MLS homegrown defender logged over 40 combined appearances for Birmingham City last season, scoring four goals and also winning the Supporters’ Player of the Year award.
Plenty of English clubs could surely use Trusty’s defensive and offensive abilities, including Ipswich Town, who was linked with adding the 24-year-old earlier this summer.
Erik Palmer-Brown
Ligue 1 side Troyes suffered relegation this spring meaning Erik Palmer-Brown could be seeking a new opportunity elsewhere in one of Europe’s top flights.
Palmer-Brown, 26, started in all 38 of Troyes’ Ligue 1 matches this season, logging 3,193 minutes of action. The USMNT defender has made 60 combined appearances over two seasons in France, continuing what has been a positive European career for the former Sporting KC homegrown.
Uly Llanez and Konrad are two Olympic eligible guys looking for moves this summer as well. I suppose you could throw Otasowie in there too but I think he’s just unofficially retired. Is this the window Johnny finally moves?
Josh Cohen currently without a club. Does he come back to the US or make a move to a better European league (Austria, Scotland, Belgium).
This is a very important window for many of the USMNT player pool. Some have found what appear to be very good landing spots (Pulisic, Weah, Pepi); others (this list) are still trying to find a landing spot. Of this group the most important to find a home are:
1) Adams – but I don’t think it’ll happen due to him not being recovered yet.
2) McKennie – May have to wait until the winter window.
3) Musah – not listed, but needs a new home.
4) Balogun – likely another Loan to prove he can be consistent.
5) Dest – If he’s not going to get minutes @ Barca he needs to find a new home.
6) Malik – another loan is in order. Higher than the SPL
7) Horvath, Steffen, & Trusty – will find somewhere in the championship.
8) EPB – will be headed back to MLS in the winter window.
9) Turner – I don’t think he needs to move. He’ll still get cup and early round games which will keep him at the top of the US Chart, but next year he will likely need a loan.
Feels like unless Tyler can get back before the end of the transfer window he’ll be at Leeds until January. Maybe someone would do a loan but who’s going to invest big money on an injured player.
Yep. Don’t see Adams getting a move. He has been pretty vocal about staying with Leeds this season too.
it’s a hamstring not a compound fracture.
IV: It’s a hamstring that’s had him out since March. Tyler just posted a video of him running today with the caption “back soon” so maybe Farkes’ timetable of September is conservative and he’s fine. Any team making a bid will get detailed information and make an informed decision. It will probably be based on actual medical research and not your “weekend warrior” data. If you remember when he went out in March they said maybe back by May, then maybe NL in June, now it’s September. I hope it’s Tyler’s “soon”and he gets a move where he’ll play and be challenged but if that isn’t until January that’s ok. Let’s not forget Reyna and Weah missed a year with hamstring problems.
“… so maybe Farkes’ timetable of September is conservative and he’s fine. ”
LoL Out of self preservation- Farke probably trying to cool interest in him so he stays. He’s one of the few capable hands in the midfield.
That looks alot like a list of our top 10 guys… Really important summer for our guys, hope they find teams that will play them and keep them improving as players.
yes, it’s a big chunk of our core players. and it is important where they land. to be clear, a few guys who made big moves and ended up on benches or loans. a few loan players who did well but aren’t assured they stay with the loan club. makes my “it’s complicated” view of signing in europe for me. not saying “don’t” just saying it’s a more complicated calculus than either “sign big” (a lot are benched or loaned) or “sign low” (a few guys dumped off relegated teams). and the ayn rand pretense it’s the players’ fault — “try harder and you’d have been rewarded in your roster competition” — rings hollow when a lot of the US XI is on the list. one hopes horvath and tillman can stay put and the rest find good homes.
adams also needs to try and figure out how to stay healthy.
“adams also needs to try and figure out how to stay healthy.”
Are you saying he hasn’t been trying to stay healthy?
He lost a lot of time at RB Leipzig with that adductor injury.
He’s not as stupid as you think he is. He has a certain style of play that renders him vulnerable to injury but it’s also a style that makes him what he is. So making adjustments is undoubtedly a complicated process.
Since you know how to fix him you should contact him and do all of us USMNT fans a favor. He might only be 24 but it’s an old 24.
I hope he’s still playing in 2026.
In the meantime the USMNT needs to figure out how to live without him should it come to that.
Horvath:
Luton declined their option and Nottingham Forest are just wrapping up the details in the signing of Dean Henderson so I’m not sure what you are considering “staying at home”. Horvath could have showcased himself in NF’s first few friendlies but he’s also injured and hasn’t played.
Tillman:
You want Tillman to stay at Bayern? His loan to Rangers ended and they didn’t want to pay Bayern’s price.
V: he’s not suffering skeletal injuries from contact, he’s pulling muscles. i was a physical defender. we get fractures and sprains, not muscle pulls. i didn’t pull a muscle until my weekend warrior phase. stay fit. stay flexible. my two cents it’s often no warmup/stretching, limited fitness levels, or i am not a fan of the weight room.
my weekend warrior experience the best thing for a hammy pull is a nice long offseason. my experience when you try the theoretical “4 week” recovery period for average folks — who are just walking around an office or a house — and put it to soccer actions it doesn’t work and you just repull and repull. to me the tough part on muscles is rebuilding fitness past a threshold without the repull or doing something else. to me that needs to be just fitness work then low intensity soccer. it’s the stops and starts that redo it.
this is one reason i take umbrage with JR’s thought on him. best thing for a player in his spot is a nice long break where the muscle heals. if it affects his price or timing teams are being silly. if he comes back in the fall and plays well it will only drive the price up.
“V: he’s not suffering skeletal injuries from contact, he’s pulling muscles. i was a physical defender. we get fractures and sprains, not muscle pulls. i didn’t pull a muscle until my weekend warrior phase. stay fit. stay flexible. my two cents it’s often no warmup/stretching, limited fitness levels, or i am not a fan of the weight room..”
Have you personally been monitoring Tyler’s rehab program? I don’t know why you think your experience has anything to do with what Tyler is going through.
What is your injury history?
Here’s Tyler’s
22/23 Hamstring Injury Mar 15, 2023 – 139 days 12 games missed
Leeds United
21/22 Thigh Problems Apr 1, 2022 Apr 8, 2022 7 days 2 games missed
RB Leipzig
21/22 Muscular problems Sep 24, 2021 Sep 30, 2021 6 days 2 games missed
RB Leipzig
20/21 Back trouble May 3, 2021 May 31, 2021 28 days 4 games missed
RB Leipzig
20/21 Medial Collateral Ligament Injury Oct 24, 2020 Oct 25, 2020 1 days 1 game missed
RB Leipzig
19/20 Torn Muscle Fiber Feb 12, 2020 Feb 24, 2020 12 days 3 games missed
RB Leipzig
19/20 Adductor problems Dec 10, 2019 Dec 20, 2019 10 days 3 games missed
RB Leipzig
19/20 Fitness Sep 12, 2019 Oct 19, 2019 37 days 7 games missed
RB Leipzig
18/19 Adductor problems Jun 12, 2019 Sep 11, 2019 91 days 4 games missed
RB Leipzig
18/19 Adductor problems Apr 1, 2019 May 12, 2019 41 days 8 games missed
RB Leipzig
18/19 Back Injury Sep 25, 2018 Oct 17, 2018 22 days 2 games missed
New York Red Bulls
The man is injury prone.
He’s getting worse and the opposition is getting tougher. And if he stays in the Championship, he will be playing in a competition that his present manager Farke, called the hardest, not the best, but the hardest league in the world.
And Farke ought to know. Tyler’s personal injury history is not encouraging.
I can see him easily getting re-injured and missing a big chunk of 23-24.
Then what?
Leeds should get as much money as they can for him right now. It would probably be better for him and for Leeds.
I am hoping they find great homes to ball out 🔥 ⚽. This is a long list, thanks for this Ives!