On the tail of the news that Matt Miazga is likely heading to Chelsea, now is as good a time as any to point out some of the other major transfer moves involving Americans. Both Jordan Morris and Christian Pulisic, two players of the future for US Soccer, made waves during the January break in Germany. Morris announced his intention in December to leave Stanford after the semester and sign a professional contract. Fresh off earning the Hermann Trophy as a junior, an award given to the top male and female collegiate soccer player annually, he also earned himself a trial with Werder Bremen with some help from of US U-23 coach Andi Herzog.
Morris impressed while at Bremen, home to fellow US international Aron Johannsson who is still recovering from injury. The club’s technical director was quoted in the German media saying Morris does things on the soccer field on a regular basis that you rarely ever see. A popular video making its way around the internet through American soccer spots is his nifty outside-of-the-boot assist that helped secure a 1-0 win in one of Bremen’s friendly matches.
Although given the option to work out a contract to play for one of the Bundesliga’s most historic teams in Werder Bremen and to play alongside US teammate Johannsson, Morris turned down the opportunity in order to return home and sign with the Seattle Sounders and begin his professional career in the MLS.
The 21-year-old creative attacker has already made seven appearances with the United States national team. In 2014, he became the first collegiate player to earn a call up to the national team in nearly 20 years. That earned him the richest Homegrown Player contract in MLS history. According to reports, the Sounders used up essentially their entire Homegrown budget in dishing out $675,000 guaranteed to Morris over three years. However, it was made clear from the beginning that the Sounders, and the MLS to an extent, were dead set on keeping Morris home.
The other hype train leaving the station was also a result of impressive performances during the January break in Germany. 17-year-old Christian Pulisic was called up to train with the Borussia Dortmund first team as they began preparation for the second half of the Bundesliga season.
The Pennsylvania native tallied a goal and an assist in a pair of friendlies while Dortmund held a training camp abroad. However, most expected Pulisic to return to the U-19 squad when Dortmund returned to Bundesliga action this past weekend. Well Dortumund started the second half of the season last Saturday with an impressive 3-1 away win at Monchengladbach and Pulisic was on the bench dressed and available for action.
While he certainly cannot be labeled as the future star of American soccer quite yet (believe me, people are already way ahead on that), it is certainly a promising sign to see such a young talent progressing along in a top European club. Add that to the list of young American talent like Carter-Vickers, Miazga, Hyndman, de la Torre and the tides of American soccer could possibly be shifting.
On the subject of young talent in Europe, other transfer news came from Sunderland that 20-year-old Lynden Gooch signed with Doncaster Rovers on a one-month loan agreement.
Gooch, who was possibly the biggest surprise exclusion from the U-20 World Cup roster last summer, has been in great form for Sunderland’s U-21 squad this season. He was named the U-21 Premier League Player of the Month for August and made his first team debut for Sunderland in a 6-3 Capital One Cup win in September, playing 32 minutes off the bench.
The Santa Cruz native has already put in two full matches of work in both of Doncaster’s matches last week, a scoreless draw and a 2-1 loss.
This will be the second loan spell for Gooch. He spent a month at Gateshead last season, which plays in England’s fifth-division. Doncaster currently sits in the middle of the table in League One, the third division in English soccer.
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