The Folarin Balogun dilemma, Christian Pulisic’s sparkling return, and Luca Koleosho’s stunner all play a part in this week’s USMNT player tracker.
Throughout the season, we will bring you updates on the U.S. players plying their trade in various leagues around Europe. With a World Cup on home soil on the horizon and new national team boss Mauricio Pochettino monitoring from afar, we’re keeping tabs on how they perform every weekend.
Issue of the weekend
Of the many issues confronting Pochettino, one is a striking concern.
Who is going to be his first-choice centre-forward?
It had seemed clear last year for previous coach Gregg Berhalter, with Balogun having scored 22 goals in his debut season on loan in France with Stade de Reims and earning himself a big-money move from Arsenal to Monaco as a result.
There was always going to be a transition period for the 23-year-old as he adjusted to his new club and eight goals in 32 appearances in a mixed debut campaign did not raise too many doubts over his eligibility as first-choice for his country.
But only 22 of those appearances were in the starting XI as he struggled to secure a place ahead of veteran Wissam Ben Yedder. The former France international left the club when his contract expired in June, but Breel Embolo remains and coach Adi Hutter appears undecided this term as to who will be his go-to striker.
Balogun shakes hand with team-mate Takumi Minamino after the win over Saint-Etienne in August (Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images)
Balogun has started both of Monaco’s home games in Ligue 1 this season, with Embolo, 27, beginning three of the team’s four matches to date including Saturday’s 3-0 win at Auxerre. Monaco also signed the 18-year-old striker George Ilenikhena from Antwerp over the summer, adding further competition. The teenager has been introduced as a substitute in each game — once ahead of Balogun, who did not get any minutes in the 2-0 win at Lyon.
Balogun has scored twice for his country so far this year, both in the ill-fated Copa America group stage, but arguably looks less of a compelling regular starter option than he was a year ago.
He came on after 64 minutes against Auxerre and performed well enough, but Pochettino must wonder whether his first choice should be someone also playing frequently for their club, such as Josh Sargent or Haji Wright.
It is only early in the season and Balogun could still click at Monaco and reproduce his previous electric form that made convincing him to play for the U.S. over England — he was eligible for both nations and Nigeria — feel like such a coup.
But all eyes will be on who leads the line in Pochettino’s first XI as he takes charge of the friendlies with Panama and Mexico next month.
Player of the weekend
Christian Pulisic was back doing what he does best for AC Milan at the weekend.
He was the star man as the Rossoneri romped to a 4-0 win against Venezia in San Siro on Saturday night, supplying his team’s third goal from the penalty spot after earlier assisting Youssouf Fofana with a precise delivery from a corner.
Pulisic, Tammy Abraham, Theo Hernandez and Matteo Gabbia celebrate (Nicolo Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Next up, a bigger test in the spotlight awaits the USMNT star as Milan face Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“It’s our first Champions League game of the year against a big club, so it’s a big challenge,” he said. “But playing in our home stadium, hopefully, we have some confidence from this game. We have to come up with a good performance if we want a result.”
Quote of the weekend
“Milan is a great team and they can hurt you at any moment, but today we shouldn’t have started the game like this. We need to react as a team right away.
“Our fans are extraordinary and they want Venezia to fight against every opponent and we want to show them that in the next match against Genoa.“
It wasn’t all smiles for American players in San Siro. Midfielder Gianluca Busio was on the losing side and he told the Venezia website after the game that they need to respond with fighting spirit.
Busio endured a difficult evening in Milan (Fabrizio Andrea Bertani/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
How did other U.S. players get on?
Name: Mark McKenzie
Club: Toulouse
Position: Defender
The 25-year-old, who is playing on the left side of a back three, shone once again for the French Ligue 1 club on Saturday as they beat Le Havre 2-0. He signed from Belgian side Genk last month.
Name: Emmanuel Sabbi
Club: Le Havre
Position: Attack
Another case of contrasting emotions for Americans facing one another, as Sabbi’s Le Havre succumbed in Toulouse. Sabbi started having been on the bench in his side’s previous game but was withdrawn in the second half after only managing one shot. Another victory for McKenzie to celebrate.
McKenzie challenges Sabbi, Le Havre’s No 11 (Matthieu Rondel/AFP via Getty Images)
Name: Gabriel Slonina
Club: Barnsley (on loan from Chelsea)
Position: Goalkeeper
A tough afternoon for Slonina and his Barnsley team-mates, who lost 3-0 at Stevenage. He managed only one save and, according to Fotmob, his kicking accuracy was mediocre, with just 56 per cent accuracy with his long balls.
Slonina is on loan at Barnsley in the English third tier (Chris Vaughan/Getty Images)
Name: Brenden Aaronson
Club: Leeds United
Position: Midfielder
A disappointing afternoon for Aaronson, who had started the season brightly in the second tier but was on the losing side against Burnley and was withdrawn after 68 minutes, with Hollywood star Will Ferrell watching on from the executive seats.
Name: Luca Koleosho
Club: Burnley
Position: Midfielder
One of the architects of Leeds’ demise was Koleosho, who opened the scoring with an explosive opener for Burnley. The 20-year-old ran almost the entire length of the pitch after winning the ball from his opponent and finished calmly. The goal was his second in four league appearances this season and manager Scott Parker was impressed. “It was a brilliant finish from Luca,” said the Burnley boss.
“Not many players can run 60 or 70 yards up the pitch at full pace with the calmness Luca showed to execute the finish. I’m delighted for him and thought he was brilliant in his moments.”
Graphic of the weekend
With a changing of the guard on the touchline comes the possibility for a change in promotion when recruiting dual nationals.
The biggest result of Berhalter’s second tenure arguably came in this particular arena rather than any one soccer match, as he helped secure Balogun’s involvement away from England and Nigeria. Like Sergino Dest and Slonina before him, it was a galvanizing moment that, theoretically, bolsters the USMNT’s prospects for years to come.
Perhaps Pochettino can work similar magic to pique the interest of young Koleosho. The Burnley winger won’t be a new name to returning readers of this series, as the Connecticut native made his Premier League debut last season with Burnley before amassing 10 youth international caps in Italy’s structure. Born and raised in the U.S. to a Nigerian father and an Italian-Canadian mother, he’s a rare quadruple-eligible footballer who has plenty of intriguing options ahead of him.
With goals like the one he scored against Leeds this weekend, he’s bound to remain in high demand.
Koleosho followed an opportunistic recovery with a 46-metre scamper upfield, with the left-winger bounding down the opposite flank.
If anything, Opta’s assessment betrays the length of his carry, likely originating it at the spot where he gained full possession and not his deft poke around Manor Solomon some 15 metres closer to Burnley’s goal.
It was the type of sequence one might expect from Kevin Paredes, or dream of seeing more often from Tim Weah. His second strike of the Championship season so far, the man who also celebrated his 20th birthday on Sunday should be in high demand between now and 2026.
Jeff Rueter
What’s coming up?
(All times ET)
Tune in for Pulisic’s big test on Tuesday against Liverpool (3pm Paramount +) then, the following day, Wright’s Coventry City will look to continue their fine cup form from last season as they face Premier League Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup (3pm, Paramount +).
Thursday presents another exciting Champions League tie as Balogun can revive his middling form in style if he can shine against Barcelona in the Champions League (3pm Paramount Plus, Unavision, TUDN).
Then, on Saturday, why not keep tabs on midfielder Lennard Maloney as his Heidenheim look to recover from their 4-2 defeat against Borussia Dortmund when they take on Freiburg in the Bundesliga (9:30am, ESPN+)?
(Top photos: Getty Images)
