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Following a World Cup run that gripped the entire country, it comes as no surprise that European clubs are now pursuing U.S. men's national team players.
Mauricio Pochettino's squad delivered an impressive performance on the global stage, topping Group D at this summer's tournament before advancing to the round of 16. The Stars and Stripes ultimately suffered a heavy defeat to Belgium, yet that couldn't overshadow the standout individual displays from American players who had long been underestimated on the world stage.
Turning heads at the 2026 World Cup opened the door to significant moves for USMNT players this summer. Some made the jump from MLS to England, while others landed fresh opportunities in Europe's top five leagues. One even became the talk of Deadline Day without a transfer ever being completed.
Here are the most notable USMNT summer transfers, graded by Sports Illustrated.
Sebastian Berhalter
Sebastian Berhalter may not have been a regular starter under Pochettino this summer, but he still clocked five appearances on the world stage, contributing a goal and an assist. Those performances followed a career-high 21 goal contributions for the Vancouver Whitecaps during their run to the 2025 MLS Cup final.
The 2026 MLS season proved equally productive. Across 18 appearances, Berhalter registered seven goals and four assists, catching the eye of EFL Championship club Middlesbrough, who secured his signature for just $2 million in July.
Berhalter now gets to ply his trade in Europe alongside fellow Americans Aidan Morris and Max Arfsten. Competing in England's second tier represents a significant upgrade from MLS and could serve as the launchpad for the 25-year-old to eventually break into the Premier League.
Morgan Rogers already showed the way.
Grade: A-
Gio Reyna
Nobody was more in need of a redemptive summer than Gio Reyna. The No. 10 managed just 20 appearances for Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2025–26, frequently coming off the bench in matches that were already settled.
Pochettino still believed in his ability enough to include him in the World Cup squad, and that faith may have breathed new life into Reyna's career. After enduring years of negative headlines stemming from a falling-out with former USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter and persistent injury troubles, the 23-year-old made five appearances at the tournament and scored a stunning goal against Paraguay.
That was enough to earn Reyna a five-year contract with Chelsea's French affiliate Strasbourg. The attacking midfielder hit the ground running in preseason, impressing in a friendly against Newcastle United by setting up his side's only goal.
Reyna came off the bench in Strasbourg's Ligue 1 opener, but earned a starting role in their next fixture against Lens and helped the team claim all three points. Regular playing time is precisely what the American requires to revive his career, and the French top flight is so far proving to be a fitting environment.
Grade: B
Zavier Gozo
Whenever an American lands a move to the Premier League, it's a significant moment. But when that player is just 19 years old? That's a truly headline-grabbing transfer.
Zavier Gozo made the leap from Real Salt Lake to signing a five-year deal with Crystal Palace. The versatile teenager, capable of operating as a right winger or wingback, marked his Eagles U-21 debut with a goal against Arsenal's youth team.
New manager Pierre Sage was evidently taken with what he saw, handing Gozo his Premier League debut just six days later in a 4–1 defeat to Manchester City. The young American found the occasion tough, completing only three passes, losing five of six duels, and registering just nine touches.
The silver lining, however, is that Gozo is only 19. He has plenty of time to grow at Palace—and he can count on fellow American Chris Richards as a familiar face at Selhurst Park. In four years, it wouldn't be a shock to see Gozo suiting up for the Stars and Stripes at the 2030 World Cup.
Grade: A
Folarin Balogun
While Folarin Balogun didn't actually complete a transfer this summer, the drama that played out on Deadline Day is simply too extraordinary to overlook. The striker had been set for a permanent move from Monaco to Everton, marking a return to the Premier League for the first time since his Arsenal days four years prior.
However, everything that could go wrong did go wrong in getting the deal finalized. Balogun failed his medical on Tuesday, causing Everton to pump the brakes on the agreement.
The Toffees briefly turned their attention to Joshua Zirkzee as an alternative, but Manchester United reportedly blocked that avenue. Meanwhile, Chelsea reached a separate agreement with Monaco for Lamine Camara to fill the void left by Enzo Fernández.
Everton then circled back to Monaco and revived the Balogun deal. With the transfer back on, Monaco no longer felt compelled to sell Camara and pulled the plug on that move at the last moment. To cap it all off, Balogun ultimately decided he had no interest in relocating to Merseyside and opted to remain at Monaco.
It was a chaotic chain of events that once again placed Balogun at the heart of controversy.
Grade: F