As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) players are facing major decisions. With the United States set to co-host the tournament, the spotlight on American players has intensified—and with it, the scrutiny of their summer transfer moves.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear:
“Playing time and form at the club level will be critical in deciding player selection.”
For those on the edge of the squad, a move to a bigger club may not guarantee a starting spot and could actually hurt their World Cup hopes if it results in limited minutes.
Learning From Past Tournament Cycles
Although club status can increase the profile of a player; it does not necessarily mean that the player is ready to represent his country. At the 2022 World Cup, Christian Pulisic performed remarkably even after he had barely played at Chelsea. Sergino Dest, who had not played much at that time with AC Milan, made noteworthy contributions that year.
Yet those examples are rare exceptions. Data from ESPN reveals that only 50% of transfers valued above $10 million lead to players appearing in more than half of their new club’s minutes. That uncertainty presents a significant risk with less than 12 months to go before the tournament.
Who Should Move And Who Should Stay?
Players In Need Of A Transfer
For some, a change of scenery is essential. Matt Turner’s situation is one of growing concern. After his move to Crystal Palace, the goalkeeper managed just four appearances and none after March 2025. Without regular playing time, Turner’s status as the USMNT’s number one is far from secure.
Coach Pochettino recently remarked that Turner “needs reps before the World Cup.” If a summer transfer does not materialize, his chances of starting in 2026 could vanish.
Gio Reyna is another name drawing attention. Borussia Dortmund has given him the green light to leave, following persistent injuries and fluctuating form. A stable club environment and consistent playing time are essential if Reyna wants to reclaim a key role in the national squad.
Players Who Should Remain With Their Clubs
On the flip side, players like Johnny Cardoso and Malik Tillman are regularly starting and developing well within their current clubs. Cardoso has been linked with Atlético Madrid, while Tillman is reportedly on Bayer Leverkusen’s radar.
These moves, though tempting, could backfire if they lead to diminished roles. Pochettino and his staff are placing greater weight on continuity and consistent club minutes rather than the glamour of big-name signings. For such players, maintaining form in familiar settings may be the wisest strategy.
The European Market And Its Misalignment With USMNT Goals
Conflicting Priorities Between Clubs And Country
The summer transfer window does not exist in a vacuum. European clubs are making decisions based on finances, tactical gaps, and long-term planning—not World Cup readiness. USMNT players must navigate these waters carefully, especially those playing in Europe’s elite leagues.
Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, and Chris Richards have secured consistent roles in competitive Premier League sides. Their positions are ideal. They get the minutes, development, and tactical demands needed to stay sharp without the volatility associated with top-tier club rotations.
Tracking Progress And Playing Time
Despite higher-profile transfers in recent years—Yunus Musah to AC Milan and Tim Weah to Juventus, for example—one challenge persists. USMNT projected starting eleven averages only 52.8% of club minutes. This figure, virtually unchanged from 2022, raises concerns about readiness despite upgraded club affiliations.
For national team success in 2026, those minutes need to increase. Transfers that risk pushing players into the periphery of elite squads could undo years of development and chemistry.
Major League Soccer And Domestic Alternatives
Rebuilding Confidence On Home Soil
For American players struggling for minutes abroad, a return to Major League Soccer (MLS) is worth consideration. While MLS does not match Europe’s top leagues in intensity, it guarantees playing time and offers a more stable platform for preparation.
Reyna’s case is particularly instructive. If he cannot secure a starting role in Europe, a move to an MLS side could restore his match fitness and allow him to reconnect with the style and tempo of the national team setup.
MLS As A Developmental Springboard
Other players have used MLS stints to reignite their careers. It provides an environment with lower travel fatigue, closer monitoring by national team staff, and less tactical upheaval. If properly leveraged, it can be a launchpad rather than a step backward.
The Psychological And Tactical Costs Of Transfers
Adjustment Periods Can Derail Momentum
It is about getting used to new systems, languages, cities, locker-room politics. How long the adjustment will take is anyone guess-all, and when the players on the periphery of the USMNT even lose confidence, or lose shape, it will be the end of their World Cup dreams.
A mid-career move is a highly disruptive process that is most often underestimated by players. When a player is benched or put out of position where he does not have an interest, coming back to the normal form is really a long uphill climb.
Club Tactics Can Complicate National Team Roles
Another overlooked issue is tactical misalignment. A player who has been transferred to a new position in the club, say, a central midfielder to a full-back, would have a difficulty coming back to his work with the national team. The Pochettino system requires precision in positioning and action and players who will be given new responsibilities that they do not usually play at the club may create an imbalance.
A Stakeholder’s Warning On Summer Moves
This person has spoken on the topic in an interview with Fox Sports, stating,
“for most USMNT European stars, 2025 summer transfers would be awful timing.”
The expert added,
“unless a player is not getting minutes, the best move is to stay put and re-evaluate after the World Cup.”
This view reflects a growing consensus within the U.S. soccer community that unnecessary transfers carry more risk than reward at this stage.
Players in the current #USMNT Gold Cup roster with a Transfer.
I hope we see more players getting moves on the coming weeks.Johnny – Betis ➡️ Atletico Madrid
Tillman – PSV ➡️ Bayer Leverkusen
Agyemang – Charlotte ➡️ Derby County
Downs – FC Köln ➡️ Southampton— Edgar (@ConcacafEdgar) July 4, 2025
A Crucial Season That Could Define 2026 Hopes
The summer of 2025 will have an echo in the year of the World Cup. In the case of such players as Matt Turner and Gio Reyna a transfer may be the only chance of being relevant and ready. But for others, especially those starting regularly in Europe’s top leagues, chasing bigger clubs could backfire spectacularly.
The history of major tournament preparation suggests that club stability—not glamour or potential—is the better predictor of international performance. World Cups are won not by headlines or transfer fees but by players in peak condition and rhythm.
It should be a decisive season in 2025/26. Whether American players make the right decisions or end up in holes of excessive ambition will define the competitiveness of the United States in the world of golf next year when it has to take the center stage in the home country. Eventually, the actual drama might be not on the stadiums, but in the boardrooms, emails and agent phone calls even before the ball kicked.
