The summer transfer window slammed shut across Europe on Tuesday evening, and man, what a gut punch it was for U.S. men’s national team fans! The biggest potential transfer for any American player after the 2026 FIFA World Cup completely fell apart at the eleventh hour.
The Breakout Star’s Shocking U-Turn
Seriously, Folarin Balogun was all set to head to English Premier League giant Everton from Monaco in a deal that was reportedly worth more than $50 million. This guy was the breakout star for the Americans at this summer’s World Cup, netting three goals in just four games during soccer’s quadrennial showpiece. That’s huge! The 25-year-old, born in New York and raised in London, drew so much interest from multiple clubs after that performance. It felt like Everton, a club with a history of USA legends like Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, and Brian McBride, had won the race for his signature. But then, after some last-minute hiccups, Balogun reportedly just walked away from the deal late Tuesday. He even traveled to Merseyside to complete the transfer! Can you believe it? The whole thing just collapsed.
New Homes For The Stars and Stripes
While Balogun’s high-profile move was a total bust, other Americans did find new clubs during this transfer window, and these moves could seriously impact their club careers and the national team in the months ahead. Take Zavier Gozo, for example. The uncapped 19-year-old from Utah went from Real Salt Lake to Crystal Palace. Coach Mauricio Pochettino even included Gozo on the Americans’ 55-player provisional World Cup roster, and Palace clearly saw that potential after he bagged 10 goals in 42 MLS games, including six in 16 appearances in 2026. He’s already made his Premier League debut for the London club in their recent loss to mighty Manchester City. What a jump!
Then there’s Gio Reyna. After seven years in Germany’s Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach, the 23-year-old traded it for France’s Ligue 1, joining Strasbourg for $3.5 million on a five-year contract in early August. Remember that brilliant goal he scored to cap the Americans’ 4-1 World Cup-opening rout of Paraguay? Incredible stuff. He only managed one goal in 20 appearances last season for ‘Gladbach, with 16 of those coming off the bench. Now, wearing Strasbourg’s No. 10 shirt, he started and logged 76 minutes in central midfield during their 2-1 win over Lens last Saturday. He should absolutely play more this season, which is exactly what he needs.
And don’t forget Sebastian Berhalter. This scrappy central midfielder and set-piece specialist made the move from the Vancouver Whitecaps to Middlesbrough. He could have gone to England’s second tier before the World Cup, but he stuck with Vancouver and solidified his roster spot. It paid off: he appeared in all five of the USA’s contests and even scored in the 3-2 group stage loss to Türkiye. Now he’s trying to help ‘Boro get back to the Premier League after the heartbreak of last season’s promotion playoff final. He walked straight into coach Kim Hellberg’s starting lineup upon arrival in late July, even notching the game-winning ass…
So, while the Balogun saga stings, seeing guys like Gozo jump into the Premier League, Reyna getting huge minutes as Strasbourg’s new No. 10, and Berhalter making an instant impact for Middlesbrough is definitely something to look forward to. These guys are getting real minutes, at high levels, and that can only mean good things for the USMNT down the road. Let’s keep an eye on them!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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