Last night against El Salvador in the cold of Columbus one of the few MLS players that took the field in the starting XI for the USMNT was New England Revolution netminder Matt Turner. Turner who over the last two years has become one of the best goalkeepers in MLS has slowly begun to carve out a name for himself at the international level, winning the 2021 Gold Cup with the USMNT as it’s starter.
While Manchester City keeper Zack Steffen at times seems to be the unquestioned USMNT number 1, his absence due to a back injury, opened the doors once again for Turner and for the first time in a long time, USMNT fans felt it was Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel all over again as pundits and fans know that Turner can get the job done.
Since 2021 Turner has 14 caps for the USMNT and has had very solid performances for club and country. Those performances caught the eye of an unlikely team… Arsenal of the Premier League and now a reported $6 million transfer is set to be placed for the netminder to join Arsenal in the summer. Here is more on Matt Turner, the latest American goalkeeper who is Premier League bound.
Matt Turner to Arsenal is latest jump of American goalkeepers to England
Matt Turner came on to the scene with little fanfare, born in New Jersey, Turner never played for the USMNT at the youth level, was not considered a top prospect when he went undrafted out of Fairfield University and signed with the New England Revolution in 2016 after a trail, and went on loan to affiliate club Richmond Kickers. It was none other than former U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel who gave Turner his big break in New England and since then the keeper has commanded the nets for one of the best teams in MLS at the moment.
At New England it has been all roses, Turner came off of his best season in 2020 being named team MVP, his teammates voted him the Revolution Player of the Year, and Revolution supporters group the Midnight Riders voted him the Midnight Riders Man of the Year.
At the international level in 2021 Turner took command of the USMNT goal and played in the 2021 Gold Cup, which the USMNT won, and started the team’s first five World Cup qualifiers before Steffen retook command of the starting position.
Arsenal will be getting a very good shot stopper and quick off his line goalkeeper, while Turner will most likely not be a starter at Arsenal, he could play in a few games like Steffen does at Manchester City, but unlike Turner, Steffen is being groomed to be a number 1 choice goalkeeper some day at City. Turner is a fighter, a player who was off the radar and has become one of the best goalkeepers in MLS, on the USMNT, and who knows maybe he can take command of a starting spot at Arsenal and defy the odds again. For Turner it’s a dream move.