Which U.S. players could be heading home before the MLS transfer window closes? (2024)

It has frequently been the case that young, gifted American players have left Major League Soccer to test themselves at clubs across Europe.

But this is the transfer window that suggested things might not always be that way.

With the clock ticking down to the MLS transfer deadline on Wednesday night (23:59 CT, 00:59 ET on Thursday, 05:59 BST on Thursday) — the last point at which clubs in the U.S. top flight can complete any incoming signings before the end of the current season — The Athletic examines which American players might be heading home.

The biggest name linked with a return is USMNT star Weston McKennie, who finds his club future shrouded in doubt for the second consecutive summer.

McKennie, who is in the final 12 months of his contract at Juventus in Italy, is in a similar position to this time last year, with the mood music loudly declaring him surplus to requirements and the Turin giants willing to let him leave.

Twelve months ago, he faced the rejection of being left off the roster for Juventus’ summer tour in the United States but his response was impressive. He doubled down on hard pre-season work and, taking advantage of Juventus’ midfield options being compromised (a seven-month ban for betting breaches given to Nicolo fa*gioli in October and Paul Pogba’s long-term doping ban in February) to play a major part in their 2023-24 season.

The 25-year-old made 34 Serie A appearances, scoring seven goals, as Juventus finished third and qualified for the coming season’s Champions League.

Since then, though, the head coach he managed to win over, Max Allegri, has now left and new Juventus boss Thiago Motta has been trying to sign midfield reinforcements, while the lack of a new contract for McKennie has been telling.

That has led to links with another big Italian club, Fiorentina, and ambitious Premier League outfit Aston Villa, but a move to either Florence or the West Midlands has not materialized.

Instead, the latest rumours have pointed to MLS and Inter Miami — an intriguing prospect that would see McKennie link up with Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

So, will the Texan be playing in such an exalted midfield soon? The answer is it’s unlikely.

There were initial exploratory talks with the Eastern Conference league leaders last month but they did not end in an agreement. Barring a last-minute change of heart it appears McKennie wants to stay in Europe and sign for a club willing to meet his personal terms, which would include higher wages, in part the result of a reduced transfer fee any suitor would need to pay Juventus because of his contract situation.

The other senior USMNT international who has been pursued by MLS clubs, and would be more keen on a return home ahead of a huge period for U.S. soccer, is Josh Sargent.

St Louis SC and FC Cincinnati have shown interest in the 24-year-old, who appeared from the bench in two of his country’s Copa America fixtures this summer.

Sargent scored 16 goals for Norwich City in England’s second tier last season as they made the promotion playoffs, despite a campaign marred by injury, and has also been linked with Premier League club Bournemouth, who just sold their top striker Dominic Solanke to Tottenham Hotspur.

But as Cincinnati’s hopes faded, the chances of St Louis bringing their former academy star back grew in recent weeks. Norwich were prepared to sanction the exit of a player they signed for around £8million ($10.2m) from German club Werder Bremen in 2021 if the fee was in excess of £20m.

An initial bid fell short of Norwich’s asking price, though, and while St Louis retain a strong interest, a breakthrough has not been achieved.

Sargent started for Norwich in their first game of the Championship season on Saturday (a 2-0 away defeat against Oxford United) but was an unused substitute for their second on Tuesday, a 4-3 Carabao Cup win over third-tier visitors Stevenage.

As the clock ticks down in St Louis, where Sargent was born, it remains to be seen whether the club can get the deal done for a player who would likely see a significant increase in his wages as part of any move.

Another U.S. international keen to come home has been right-back Reggie Cannon. The 26-year-old full-back played 21 times for the London club Queens Park Rangers in England’s Championship last season. He has recently been involved in a contract dispute with his previous employers, the Portuguese outfit Boavista.

Like Cannon, another former FC Dallas player who could be on the move is 23-year-old midfielder Thomas Roberts. He joined Norwegian club Stabaek, managed by former USMNT boss Bob Bradley, from Columbus Crew in March and has made 18 appearances for the Oslo side so far in Norway’s April-to-November season. But the player, who has three under-20 caps, has been of interest to several MLS teams during the summer.

There could be one player going in the opposite direction, though.

Duncan McGuire, the Orlando City striker who led the line for his country at the recent Olympics in France, is still open to a move to Europe after his transfer to Blackburn Rovers of the Championship collapsed at the last minute in February. Czech top-flight club Sparta Prague are now interested. The 23-year-old is not against the idea of signing a new contract at Orlando, who are seventh in the Eastern Conference, but his current one expires in December, and a positive resolution to extend his deal has not yet emerged.

Wednesday could represent an intriguing end to the window for the established norms of transfers between clubs in the U.S. and Europe, but those on the American end need to act fast now to make things happen before the deadline.

(Top photos: Getty Images)

Greg O'Keeffe is a senior writer for The Athletic covering US soccer players in the UK & Europe.Previously he spent a decade at the Liverpool Echo covering news and features before an eight-year stint as the paper's Everton correspondent; giving readers the inside track on Goodison Park, a remit he later reprised at The Athletic.He has also worked as a news and sport journalist for the BBC and hosts a podcast in his spare time.