The upcoming season of Major League Soccer brings back the best American talent in action. Many of these are young players ready to make a name for themselves. In the process, they may attract the attention of explorers from abroad, particularly from Europe.
That jump of MLS players going to Europe is happening more often than ever. According to AS, no league in the Americas sends more players to Europe than MLS. Also, several of them are US internationals.
Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson and his brother Paxten, Matt Turner, Gabriel Slonina, Ricardo Pepi and Daryl Dike are just a sampling of USMNT members now in Europe after a stint in MLS.
Each season, more players throw their names into the rumor mill to join the ranks of Americans in jumping from MLS clubs to Europe. Here are a few of those to watch as the 2023 MLS season progresses.
Americans who could soon switch to clubs in Europe
1. Brandon Vazquez
FC Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez exploded last year with 18 league goals. In all competitions, he has scored 19. Like many of the world’s best forwards, Vázquez shines on the ball. He can find pockets of space behind defenses to make punchy runs. Having rhythm like Vázquez helps in that sense.
Also, he can win aerial duels at 6’2. Earning his first USMNT call-up in friendly matches against Serbia, Vázquez used that headshot ability to put the USMNT in front.
Vázquez, who has a double international with Mexico, has the potential to move on to Liga MX. He has the potential and the talent to move to a club in Europe. Then he can grow up to potentially join a bigger club in Europe’s top leagues.
2.Cade Cowell
Cade Cowell of the San Jose Earthquakes is cunning and deceitful. While Cowell has speed, he’s best known for his ability on the ball. Sometimes San Jose field Cowell as a false nine, someone who can delay the game but then also distribute. However, his most comfortable position is left back. Fakes with the body are enough to get past many MLS defenders on the flank, allowing Cowell to shoot the ball.
The only thing Cowell is missing from his current repertoire is production. At the age of 19, Cowell already has 80 MLS appearances. Yet he only has nine goals and nine assists in those 80 appearances.
International seasons have already shown what Cowell is capable of. He played a role in the CONCACAF Under-20 tournament that the United States won. Cowell helped the United States qualify for the 2023 U-20 World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics with that performance. If he can add goals to his already nice-to-watch game, there’s no reason for clubs in Europe to avoid him. So those international tournaments can show what Cowell can do under pressure.
3.Jalen Neal
In the 2023 season, Jalen Neal will make his LA Galaxy debut. Or, at least, his debut in the MLS. A local talent for the LA Galaxy, Neal spent the previous season with LA Galaxy 2 in the USL Championship. He made 21 appearances for the midfield side.
Despite the club’s struggles, Neal impressed enough to be called up to the national team at the January 2023 camp.
A raw talent, Neal has a reputation for being tough on the ball. However, he is not reckless when he establishes himself as an uncompromising defender. Few positions capture reservations as frequently as the center back. Neal only has five in his professional career. If he can continue to grow in confidence and skill with the LA Galaxy in MLS against better clubs, he could be a sleeper option among Americans moving to Europe.
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4. John Tolkin
Ever since Tolkin burst onto the scene in a home league match against Orlando City in 2021, he’s been the left-back everyone in Europe will be salivating for. As usual in Red Bull’s philosophy, Tolkin’s operation is largely based on pressing. That pressure and that breakthrough allowed Tolkin to score some key goals. For example, his only two MLS goals in two seasons were game-winning points in one-goal games.
He connects well on offense and his running back defense is strong. His first cap in the January friendly for the USA against Colombia showed why he is on the radar very soon. As a starter, he played more than 70 minutes, preventing significant chances for Colombia. The visitors fired 12 shots, but Tolkin and the other defenders only allowed one of them to hit the target.
New York Red Bulls have a tendency to send Americans to clubs in Europe. Tolkin has the potential to be the next name on that list.
5. John Jones
Dejuan Jones of the New England Revolution has also shown why he is a fullback capable of taking on a variety of forwards and wingers over the past few seasons in MLS. In 2021, he played 31 of 34 games as New England set the record for most points in a single season.
He is currently in the plans for Bruce Arena for the 2023 season. However, Dejuan Jones’ ability ticks a number of boxes for the sides in Europe. Offensive stats don’t necessarily jump off the page. In 98 regular season appearances with New England, Jones has just five goals and 10 assists. Still, he is an advocate. A solid build at just under six feet tall can lock out a lot of players, particularly on the wing. The ability to turn that defense into a starting offense can be a big help in fast-paced European leagues.
When might these movements occur?
Move-in hours vary. The winter transfer window in Europe is over, and the MLS season that begins in late February precludes those transfers. Also, the summer transfer window is in the middle of the MLS season. Therefore, any movement of these five names could happen in the middle of the season or after.
Matt Turner’s move to Arsenal was finalized in February 2022. However, he left New England in the summer. Gabriel Slonina was the complete opposite. Chelsea acquired the goalkeeper in the summer of 2022. However, the Blues loaned Slonina to Chicago for the remainder of the 2022 MLS campaign. Slonina then joined Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge side mid-season. .
PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire
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