American States United 20230621

“US soccer fans, I promise this is just the beginning!”

—Folarin Balogun on Twitter, after helping lead the USMNT to a 2-0 win over Canada and the CONCACAF Nations League title

First Three Names on USWNT Roster Revealed

As announced on The Today Show, Gotham FC’s Lynn Williams, Kristie Mewis and Kelley O'Hara will all be part of the #USWNT World Cup Squad. Lynn and Kristie's first World Cup. Kelley's Fourth. So much tenacity in that trio. U.S. Soccer will announce its final USWNT roster for the 2023 World Cup on Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST. Follow our socials for key updates and analysis of the major announcement. And Rog will Pod with manager Vlatko Andonovski in the wake of the announcement. Watch our Pod feed later today for that conversation. 🇺🇸🦅

The Kings of CONCACAF:

Quite the week for the USMNT. On Thursday, the U.S. thumped Mexico 3-0 in the CONCACAF Nations League Semifinals, only for the result to be at least partially overshadowed by leaked pre-match reports that Gregg Berhalter was returning as USMNT head coach. U.S. Soccer then hustled to (re)introduce Berhalter as the new-old manager the very next day, just two days before the Americans would face Canada in the Nations League Final. The squad thundered on irrespective under Interim-Interim Coach BJ Callahan. The Big Rig unleashed the hounds, unfurling one of most buccaneering attacking performances to overwhelm Canada and capture the Nations League title. Birmingham, AL's Chris Richards scored his first ever US goal and the night was capped off by Flo Balogun's emphatic strike. May it be the first of many. A win capped off by celebrations at Grealish levels, however, and went on to capture the Nations League title with a 2-0 win over the Canadians.

MORE: ‘It Was No Fever Dream!’ … Rog on Gregg Berhalter’s Return 📹

Next up for the USMNT is the Gold Cup, essentially a second-string tournament, as nearly all of the key names that led us to victory in the Nations League were not included on the roster. Either way, the U.S. kicks things off Saturday against Jamaica. Despite the depleted roster, don’t be surprised if interim head coach B.J. Callaghan leads America to another “major” trophy, Proper Football Manager that he is.

Americans Abroad Transfer Tracker:

Updates aplenty for Americans Abroad in the summer transfer window. Let’s jump right in.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Folarin Balogun is drawing interest from an impressive list of clubs. Crystal Palace, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Olympique Marseille, AS Monaco, and Red Bull Leipzig all appear ready to make a play for the USMNT striker. Doing his part to move things along, Balogun has communicated to Arsenal that he does not want to spend another season on loan, and only wants a permanent transfer coming out of this summer’s window. Game very much on.

It looks as though Sergino Dest will be on the move from Barcelona this summer as well, as the Blaugrana are looking to bring in a new right back — Joao Cancelo currently at the top of their list — which means that Dest does not factor into their plans for the future. Meaning the talented USMNT defender is very much on the market. Similarly, Juventus have communicated to Weston McKennie that they are trying to sell him to a new club, with a price of $33 million reportedly having been set by the Italian club.

Bayern Munich have canceled Rangers’ option to purchase Malik Tillman for $7.4 million after his successful season on loan with the Glasgow club. The German club has agreed to pay Rangers $1 million in compensation for canceling the agreement, as well as a 10 percent sell-on clause if they move Tillman elsewhere. All of this is good news for Tillman, as it means that Bayern expect to be able to sell Tillman for far more than $7.4 million, especially after a season in which the 21-year-old midfielder scored 12 goals and was named the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year. Premier League clubs Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford have both expressed serious interest.

Brighton are reportedly considering a $32 million bid for Tyler Adams, joining the likes of Aston Villa, Everton and Nottingham Forest as fans of the 24-year-old Leeds midfielder. Newcastle United are also monitoring Adams’ situation, as well as that of Leeds teammate Brenden Aaronson, a player the Magpies have reportedly been longtime admirers of.

Previously linked with a move to a number of French clubs, Tim Weah could be off to Italy, as the USMNT winger has reportedly emerged as a target for Italian giants Juventus. And after a 16-goal season in Turkey’s Super Lig for Antalyaspor, Haji Wright is being linked with a move to La Liga club Villareal.

News and Notes:

• Yunus Musah sat down with the Guardian to open up about everything from being back with the USMNT for their Nations League win, to being at the Mestalla on the day Vini Jr. was racially abused by Valencia fans. "The stadium was as loud as I’ve ever heard, you know, and that was like, I can’t imagine how it must have felt for Vinícius."

• Love the USMNT fans back in Birmingham, Ala. cheering on Chris Richards after his goal against Canada. Bonus: The Crystal Palace defender will be in attendance at Wednesday’s Birmingham Legion match to sign autographs, and will be honored with a special video tribute at halftime.

• A strong finish to the 2022-23 Bundesliga campaign was enough to earn Kevin Paredes a spot on the 2023 European Golden Boy list. 🙌

• Looks as though Luca de la Torre is about to get a proper Spanish Footballing Education — Rafa Benitez looks set to take over as manager at Celta Vigo.

• On the Execs Abroad front, Carlos Bocanegra reportedly interviewed with his old club Rangers about their director of football position, but then withdrew from consideration, choosing instead to stay on as Atlanta United vice president and technical director.

Parting Shots:

Antonee Robinson isn’t just an incredibly gifted footballer. He’s also a genuinely lovely human being who apparently possesses an infallible moral compass. Speaking with Alex Goldberg on The Byline, the Fulham left back shared a truly inspiring message for the world, preaching the importance of appreciating wherever you are in life, and always being kind to others, as it just makes the world a better place. Watch the full clip here. You’ll be that much better for it, trust us. 🙌

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Men in Blazers Summer Sale ☀️

Summer is here and so is the Men in Blazers Summer Sale. Up to 75% off select items, including our American States United T-Shirt and our Most Important Least Important Tee. Our way of saying thank you for making football memories with us over this last season and getting prepped for a busy summer of football. Discount will show in your cart prior to checkout.