USMNT Stock Watch: Adams, McKennie, Weah and 18-year-old Cole Campbell trending up
November is right round the corner, and with it comes another FIFA window and another, year-ending roster from new U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Pochettino’s first camp earlier this month was a mixed bag. With up to eight usual USMNT starters missing for the two friendlies, the Americans beat Panama 2-0 in Texas before losing by the same scoreline to Mexico south of the border.
Some of those who missed out in October should return next month, when the U.S. takes on Jamaica in the two-leg, home-and-home, total goals wins Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. That list includes forward Tim Weah, who scored in Juventus‘ 4-4 tie with Italian rivals Inter Milan last weekend, and 2022 World Cup captain Tyler Adams, who just made his first Premier League appearance of the season for Bournemouth following summer back surgery.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the player pool ahead of Pochettino’s second camp with the USMNT.
Strikers
Ricardo Pepi continues to cook in the Netherlands, where the 21-year-old has four goals in his last four games for PSV Eindhoven — including a brace on Saturday. It was also his second Eredivisie start over those four games, exceeding his 2023-24 total.
Folarin Balogun has returned to training with Monaco and could return sooner than expected from the shoulder injury that was supposed to sideline him until mid-December. Could he be ready to face the Reggae Boyz in Kingston on Nov. 14? Balogun was on fire before going down, scoring in three straight games.
With Pochettino’s presumed first-choice front man out, Josh Sargent started both September games and didn’t capitalize on the opportunity. Sargent, who missed a golden change against Los Canaleros, has been unable to replicate his form for Norwich City with the national team; Sargent has four goals in 12 games in England’s second tier Championship this season but is now scoreless in 15 U.S. appearances since 2019.
Center forward/left-winger Haji Wright came off the bench against Panama and El Tri, assisting on Pepi’s strike against the former. Wright also has goals in consecutive games for Championship side Coventry City.
Brandon Vazquez could end up the big winner of Pochettino’s first window. Summoned after Balogun got hurt, the Monterrey man was the Americans’ most dangerous attacker in Guadalajara. He’s a reminder that things can change quickly. That’s why Union Berlin’s Jordan Pefok will remain on the new staff’s radar as long as he’s making regular cameos in the Bundesliga.
Wingers
Weah picked a good time to score his second goal of the Serie A season for Juve, as USMNT assistant coach Jesus Perez was on hand at the San Siro to watch him and midfielder Weston McKennie face the defending champs.
But there’s big news in Germany, too, as 18-year-old right wing Cole Campbell has broken through with the first team of Bundesliga titan Borussia Dortmund. Campbell logged the final minutes of the Black & Yellow’s 2-1 loss to Augsburg last Saturday, then went 43 minutes off the bench in Tuesday’s extra-time defeat to Wolfsburg. U.S. standout Christian Pulisic and fellow American Gio Reyna, who BVB expects back from the groin strain he suffered on U.S. duty in September after the USMNT’s November contests, were 17 when they debuted for Dortmund in 2016 and 2020 respectively.
Pulisic was surprisingly on the bench when AC Milan hosted Napoli on Tuesday, but the USMNT’s best player was pressed into duty in the second half with the visitors up 2-0. That’s how it ended. Pulisic still leads the Rossoneri in scoring in 2024-25 with seven goals in 11 Serie A and Champions League games.
Brenden Aaronson had a rough October window. But he went straight back into Leeds’ starting 11 fewer than 70 hours after leaving Mexico, and he went 90 minutes in their two most recent matches. With Aaronson’s help, Leeds is on pace for a Premier League promotion playoff berth.
PSV’s Malik Tillman, who also struggled in Mexico, scored for the fifth time in 10 league gameslast weekend. Pochettino will learn more about Tillman when the Dutch champs host Spanish club Girona in the Champions League on Nov. 5.
Like Vazquez, Liga MX-based Alex Zendejas wasn’t invited to the October games originally. But like Vazquez, the scrappy Zendejas played harder than most of his teammates after he subbed in versus El Tri. The 26-year-old celebrated with a goal for Club América upon his return.
Midfielders
The competition in the center of the field is increasing. Adams’ return to the USMNT is a godsend in theory. But after missing most of the last two seasons, mostly with hamstring issues, it wouldn’t be shocking if Pochettino decides to leave the heart-and-soul destroyer in England until the full U.S. squad reconvenes again in late March.
McKennie is rounding into form, as his assist against Inter showed:
While Yunus Musah lined up on the wing in September (and promptly scored his first international goal), the 21-year-old occupies his natural spot in the middle for AC Milan. But he’s still being used almost exclusively off the bench; Tuesday marked just his second start all season. Musah has logged 297 minutes across eight Serie A and Champions League appearances this season.
Johnny Cardoso is coming off a man-of-the-match performance for Real Betis in Sunday’s win over Atlético Madrid. Cardoso, who made just two substitute appearances through the first six La Liga games this season, has now gone the distance in four of Betis’ last five.
Tanner Tessman has now stated two straight for Lyon. USMNT assistant Miki D’Agostino traveled to France to scout Tessmann in for last week’s 1-0 Europa League loss to Turkish power Besiktas. Meantime, Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough) and Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim) continue to start regularly for their clubs.
Fullbacks
Antonee “Jedi” Robinson keeps building a case for a big-money transfer next summer. The left back, 27, has played every minute for Fulham since the Prem campaign began in August.
Joe Scally is quietly having a career season in Germany, the 21-year-old’s fourth as a starter for Borussia Mönchengladbach. Scally has cemented his role as the deputy right back for injured starter Sergiño Dest. And like Dest, Scally can cover the left in a pinch, as he did last weekend for ‘Gladbach.
With youngsters Kevin Paredes and Caleb Wiley injured, the only other fullback involved in October games was Jedi’s understudy, Kristoffer Lund. Right back Richie Ledezma deserves a look, though, even if he hasn’t featured for PSV since playing the final six minutes of the club’s Champions League draw with Paris Saint-Germain on Oct. 22.
Center backs
Chris Richards remains out with the hamstring problem that has forced him to miss Crystal Palace‘s last four Prem games. Partner Tim Ream tuned 37 on Oct. 5. Whether Ream holds onto his spot through the 2026 World Cup could depend on how his body handles a full MLS season on Charlotte’s artificial turf field in 2025. Mark McKenzie took Richards’ place against Panama in Pochettino’s debut and did well. D’Agostino was in Frande on Saturday to watch McKenzie help Toulouse keep a clean sheet against Montpellier.
Cameron Carter-Vickers is in line for a recall next month after missing the October window and three games for Scottish club Celtic with an undisclosed injury. Carter-Vickers went on for the final 22 minutes of Sunday’s 3-0 victory at Motherwell.
In MLS, Miles Robinson and FC Cincinnati opened their MLS Cup playoff slate on Monday by beating NYCFC. Walker Zimmermann‘s Nashville failed to qualify for the postseason.
Goalkeepers
Matt Turner started both October friendlies, and the longtime U.S. No. 1 will almost certainly be in net next month in the Nations League despite being the backup at Palace.
Pochettino has indicated that he’ll give Turner and others who aren’t getting regular minutes with their clubs time to either win a job or find a new employer. That grace extends to Ethan Horvath, idle for Cardiff City since August.
Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen could both return next month. The MLS pair should also get several weeks to impress Pochettino and position coach Toni Jimenez during the USMNT’s annual January camp, which will conclude with two exhibitions in early 2025.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports. A staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports before joining FOX Sports in 2021, 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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