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5 USA Regulars Who Secured Summer Transfers To European Clubs

5 USA Regulars Who Secured Summer Transfers To European Clubs

The summer transfer window slammed shut across Europe on Tuesday evening, and for fans of the U.S. men’s national team, it was a frustrating Deadline Day as the biggest potential move of any American player post-2026 FIFA World Cup fell apart at the 11th hour. Folarin Balogun was thought to be headed to English Premier League mainstay Everton from Monaco in a deal worth more than $50 million. With three goals in four games during soccer’s quadrennial showpiece, the 25-year-old New York-born, London-bred Balogun was the breakout star for the Americans at this summer’s World Cup. That showing drew interest from multiple suitors, but the Toffees — the club where USA legends Tim Howard, Landon Donovan and Brian McBride all once played — appeared to have won the race for his signature. But following some last minute hiccups, Balogun reportedly walked away from the deal late Tuesday despite traveling to Merseyside to complete the deal. Although Balogun’s high-profile move didn’t happen, other Americans found new clubs this window.Here’s how the transfers of five of his Stars and Stripes teammates could impact their club careers and the national team in the months ahead. Zavier Gozo: Real Salt Lake To Crystal Palace As I reported in May, USA coach Mauricio Pochettino thought enough of Gozo’s performances with RSL to include the uncapped 19-year-old on the Americans’ 55-player "provisional" World Cup roster, the preliminary list from which the final 26 came. So did Palace after the Utah native bagged 10 goals in 42 MLS games, including six in 16 appearances in 2026. Gozo made his Premier League debut for the London club in last week’s loss to mighty Manchester City. Gio Reyna: Borussia Mönchengladbach To Strasbourg After spending the first seven years of his career in Germany, the 23-year-old traded the Bundesliga for France’s Ligue 1. Reyna, who scored a brilliant goal to cap the Americans’ World Cup-opening 4-1 rout of Paraguay, joined Les Bleus et Blanc for $3.5 million in early August on a five-year contract. The onetime teenage prodigy managed only one goal in 20 appearances — 16 of them off the bench for ‘Gladbach in 2025-26. He should play more this season; Strasbourg’s new No. 10 started and logged 76 minutes in central midfield during the club’s most recent outing, a 2-1 win over Lens last Saturday. Sebastian Berhalter: Vancouver Whitecaps To Middlesbrough The scrappy central midfielder and set-piece specialist could’ve traded Western Canada for England’s second tier before the World Cup, opting instead to stay in Vancouver and cement the roster spot he won with aplomb last year. It worked: Berhalter appeared in all five of the USA’s contests and scored in the 3-2 group stage loss to vs. Türkiye. Now he’ll try to help ‘Boro gain promotion back to the Premier League after heartbreak in last season’s promotion playoff final. Berhalter walked straight into coach Kim Hellberg’s starting lineup upon arrival in late July, notching the game-winning assist against Wrexham in his first appearance the following week. The 25-year-old, who would’ve been a free agent this winter, has started each of the club’s five games across all competitions so far. Max Arfsten: Columbus Crew To Middlesbrough Arfsten became the third American at ‘Boro, joining Berhalter and Aidan Morris — one of the final cuts to Pochettino’s roster — when he signed Aug. 4 for a fee of up to $7.5 including incentives, according to the Athletic’s Tom Bogert. The attack-minded left back made one brief cameo as Antonee "Jedi"Robinson deputy at the World Cup. He could play a larger role under Poch this cycle given the 29-year-old Jedi’s history of knee problems. Arfsten, 25, is already gaining crucial experience in the rough and tumble Championship, having appeared in all three league games last month ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Burnley. Jack McGlynn: Houston Dynamo To Stoke City Although an untimely injury cost the sweet-footed lefty any real chance of competing for a place on the Americans' World Cup squad, McGlynn, 23, will be just entering his prime in 2030. Pochettino likes the Queens, New York product’s profile, having capped him 12 times in 2025 and getting two goals in return. Stoke needs the help, with the longtime Premier League team languishing in 21st place in the 24-strong Championship four games into the 2026-27 campaign. They got some by landing McGlynn on Deadline Day.

Todd Monken hasn't watched much past film from Deshaun Watson

Browns coach Todd Monken had a big decision to make at quarterback. In settling on Deshaun Watson over Shedeur Sanders, Monken didn't spend much time looking at Watson's past performances.

“I really, to be honest, haven’t looked at it," Monken told reporters regarding whether he studied Watson's film from past seasons. "To be honest, only from afar. When people say, 'You had to look at it,' well, not really. I looked at it from afar when I was down the road, right? In crossover film or something, but I try to take everything at face value. What I see, right? slot-chickenroad.org

"It doesn’t matter what the player is, I think we owe that to our players, guys that are on the roster. I want to go into it thinking every player we have is elite, and all they have to do is prove me right. That’s all they have to do. That’s what I’m going to go into it — they’re on an NFL roster, I expect them to play well, and I just want them to prove me right. And so I really haven’t really looked at that, different staff, different system. We’ll let it play out. We’ll see where it goes starting a week from now.”

Regardless of whether Monken did or didn't watch much Watson film, his performances from his time with the Texans are ancient history. It was six years ago. And while there's some value in looking for plays that he has run well in the past, the more pragmatic approach would be to ignore Watson's play from 2017 through 2020 and focus on things that will work now, with the 30-year-old version of Deshaun Watson.

Shane van Gisbergen at peace with season; missing The Chase

Ultimately, Shane Van Gisbergen isn't blaming missing out on the Chase for the Championship due to what happened on Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway but instead the entire body of work this season.
Some of it within his control and some of it not.
Van Gisbergen entered the regular season finale with a 31-point lead and even extended it with a Stage 1 victory in which Ryan ...Keep reading

MLB Highlights: Reds 4, Padres 3

Carlos Rodríguez: “El peso tan grande de la mochila me arrastró al suelo”

Con cadencia alegre, sentado elegantemente en la bici y con pisotones firmes, realizó una contrarreloj ilusionante en la apertura de la Vuelta, a menos de 30 segundos de Pogacar, el ganador de la etapa, ahora el gran ausente. “Sí, hizo una gran prueba, pero luego…”, conceden desde su equipo. El pero, claro, no es negativo, aunque sí desbravado porque cuando llegaron las montañas de Andorra perdió 22 minutos a las primeras de cambio. Carlos Rodríguez (Almuñécar, Granada; 25 años), una vez más, sigue sin encontrarse tras dos años complicados. “Por el motivo que sea, las piernas no están yendo esta temporada en los momentos claves. Mi cuerpo responde como si tuviera un limitador puesto. Pero bueno, intentaremos ir quitándolo conforme vaya pasando esta Vuelta y poder aportar más al equipo”, resuelve el ciclista, que en la etapa octava, camino hacia Xeraco, se dio dos topetazos que, sin embargo, no le retiraron de la carrera. “Son riesgos del pelotón, gajes del oficio que uno nunca sabe cuándo van a producirse”, desliza. Por él, que no sea.

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In brief

Devers goes deep to centre for 31st home run, most by Giant since Bonds Watch as San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers takes Paul Skenes deep for a three-run home run in the second inning, for his 31st home run of the year, the most by a Giants player in a season since Barry Bonds in 2004.

Barcelona Completes Transfer Deadline Day Deal For Gabriel Jesus From Arsenal Gabriel Jesus completed a transfer deadline day move from Arsenal to Barcelona on Tuesday on a three-year contract.

MLB Highlights: Nationals 9, Braves 5 Yohandy Morales went 3-for-5 with a home run in his first ever MLB game, Brady House went 1-for-3 with a two-run double and three RBI, and CJ Abrams went 2-for-4 with a two-run single in the Washington Nationals’ 9-5 win over the Atlanta Braves.

MLB Highlights: Rockies 4, Orioles 2 TJ Rumfield hit a two-run shot, Adael Amador added a solo homer of his own, and the Colorado Rockies earned a 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Why Blue Jays’ bats can’t afford to falter down the stretch Ben Nicholson-Smith joins Ken Reid and Evanka Osmak to break down the Blue Jays’ 6-1 loss in Cleveland, Gavin Williams’ dominant start, Toronto’s approach in the final two games, Spencer Miles’ importance and an update on Trey Yesavage.