Even after the excitement of the World Cup faded away, it was a busy summer for the USMNT. Several notable Americans also spent their summer switching clubs. Ironically, the highlight may have been a move that wasn't made. Folarin Balogun ultimately walked away from a move to Everton. However, there were several Americans who did complete a successful transfer over the summer.
Some did so on the heels of their World Cup performance, while others are young players moving up the ranks. With so many current or potential USMNT players on the move, let’s look back at the most notable Americans who were part of the summer transfer saga.
Sebastian Berhalter to Middlesbrough
Not long after the World Cup, Berhalter made the move to Europe, signing with Middlesbrough, which has suddenly become a hotbed for American players. The timing was right for Berhalter, who established himself in MLS but needed a challenge to reach the next level. The early returns at Middlesbrough have been largely positive, which should allow Berhalter to remain a consistent part of the USMNT moving forward.
Max Arfsten to Middlesbrough
Soon after Berhalter moved to Middlesbrough, Arfsten also made the leap from MLS to the Championship. If he’s going to unseat Antonee Robinson, or at least keep his spot as the backup left-back, Arfsten needs to step up, and playing in the English Championship should do that. His ability to create scoring chances is unquestioned, but Arfsten needs to shore up his defensive abilities. If he can show at Middlesbrough that he can play both sides, Arfsten will have a future with the USMNT.
Gio Reyna to Strasbourg
Reyna moving to Strasbourg might be the most important transfer of any USMNT player this summer. Still just 23, Reyna could still have a great future ahead of him and become a key part of the USMNT for the next cycle. But his lack of club soccer in recent years has held him back. Going to Strasbourg keeps him at a competitive level, while also giving Reyna a chance to play consistent minutes. He moved into the starting lineup for Strasbourg’s second league match of the season, which is a positive sign that things might finally be moving in the right direction for him.
Zavier Gozo to Crystal Palace
Gozo is undoubtedly one of the top USMNT prospects right now, and the 19-year-old scored a huge transfer to Crystal Palace in the Premier League. There’s no doubt some risk in making that big of a leap at such a young age. But with Crystal Palace playing in Europe this season, the club should have plenty of playing time available for attacking players. The young winger has already made his Premier League debut and will be someone to watch closely this season.
Diego Kochen to Lyngby BK
Among young American goalkeepers, Kochen is one to watch closely. He joined Barcelona’s academy in 2019 and has been with the Spanish giants throughout his teen years. Kochen is still a Barcelona player, but was loaned out to Danish club Lyngby this season. He immediately became the starter at the age of 20, potentially putting him in the mix for the senior national team sooner rather than later, having already played 15 games for various U.S. youth national teams over the years.
Kevin Paredes to Utrecht
A few years ago, Paredes was a promising young American in the Bundesliga. But a nagging foot injury limited his availability and playing time at Wolfsburg over the last two seasons. Over the summer, he made the move to Dutch club Utrecht, hoping to get his career back on track. At age 23, there’s still time for Paredes if he can get healthy. Keep in mind that he scored two goals during the Paris Olympics in 2024, so the potential is certainly there. Paredes has come off the bench for Utrecht early in the season, but he’s someone to watch closely.
Cole Campbell to SV Elversberg
At age 16, Campbell joined Borussia Dortmund, with the Houston-born winger moving to Iceland a couple of years before that. He even made five appearances for BVB before a rather uneventful loan to Hoffenheim last season. Over the summer, Campbell took his talents to Elversberg, a club that had just earned promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time ever. It took just nine minutes for him to score his first goal with Elversberg in a stunning upset over Bayer Leverkusen. Still just 20, the move to the Bundesliga surely puts Campbell on the USMNT radar, especially with six goals in 13 games for U.S. youth national teams.
Jack McGlynn to Stoke City
McGlynn was likely on the bubble for a World Cup spot, but didn’t get the call. Nevertheless, he’s still just 23 and is ready to take a step forward with a move to Stoke City in the English Championship. McGlynn has two goals in 13 caps for the USMNT, and after playing in the 2025 Gold Cup, Mauricio Pochettino is familiar with him. If he can become an impact player for Stoke City, McGlynn can keep himself on the USMNT radar and get another chance at some point.
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