USMNT
Who will be included in Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT squad for the Nations League?
While the USMNT manager has some easy choices, there are plenty of new additions he could make to his Nations League squad.
After confirming his return to the USMNT bench, the main objective for Gregg Berhalter at the helm of the North American side is to ensure their direct passage to the 2024 Copa América through the quarter-finals of the Concacaf Nations League.
For the upcoming double-header against Trinidad & Tobago, Berhalter will have to make some interesting and perhaps unexpected decisions as to who makes his squad.
Although the tried and tested group of attackers - Pulisic, Reyna, Pepi, Weah (who may be injured) and Balogun - has been widely praised, there are now plenty of other options that Berhalter could call upon for the games, including names such as Alejandro Zendejas, Jordan Pefok, Haji Wright or Kevin Paredes, all of whom are shining for their club sides this season.
Which players could make Berhalter’s squad?
Pefok and Wright are forwards who could compete perfectly well on the international stage: the former is scoring for fun with Borussia Mönchengladbach while Wright already has international experience as he was part of the 2022 World Cup squad.
Balogun, it must be said, is in top form in France and remains the first choice for Berhalter, but the competition is definitely there should his form suffer an unexpected dip throughout the season. However, Ricardo Pepi, a player who is second in the ranking behind Berhalter, is certainly under threat.
Kevin Paredes, the youngest of the potential striking options for Berhalter, is one of the revelations in the Bundesliga for Wolfsburg, and scored the equaliser in his side’s game against Werder Bremen. Ever since his eruption onto the scene for DC United, the forward has been seen as a future option for the USMNT, and his time may finally have arrived in Berhalter’s eyes.
As for Zendejas, although he has not made his mark in Europe, the impact in Mexicofrom the 25-year-old cannot be understated: with three goals in 4 games, he’s one of the league’s most in-form players. He is one of the most influential players for Las Águilas and the main thing that people ask of him is that he have a role in the USMNT, which could come soon enough should Berhalter opt for the midfield maestro.
Who could drop out of the USMNT squad?
One player who is set to be a topic of debate ahead of the squad list being announced is Brenden Aaronson. The former Leeds United player, who was relegated last season from the Premier League before making a move to Union Berlin, has struggled heavily in his adaptation to the German league, and played just 7 minutes in a recent 0-3 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in a game in which his younger brother Paxten also featured. The FIFA break may come as a welcome time away from European football for Brenden, that is, if he makes Berhalter’s squad at all.