The USMNT currently has no manager; who it will be is a mystery right now. Whoever it is, for the good of the national team, one thing is for certain: some players’ time on the team has expired, and the need for new blood will be evident.
While it is not the intent of this editorial to single out the players who need to be removed from the team, it is our intention to highlight a few players whose stock is rising and could really help the USMNT in the future.
Here are a few national team players from the Olympic squad who should be challenging for roster spots on the senior USMNT:
Tanner Tessmann
The team’s best player on the ball, Tessmann has grown a lot in Italy. With offers from Inter Milan and interest from Fiorentina, Tessmann has a high ceiling and can easily begin to challenge some of the players for their position on the national team.
Gianluca Busio
Busio has a unique playing style not often found with US midfielders. He has very good ball control, is a box-to-box player, and has a very good outside shot. When Busio is surrounded by high-quality players, his best attributes shine. Busio is one of the few midfielders who can actually steal a ball and play a very good forward pass.
Griffin Yow
There is a lot to be said about Griffin Yow, who at the Olympic level has shown a lot of ability on the wing for the US team. Yow has the misfortune of being a winger on a national team that has very capable wingers, none bigger than Christian Pulisic. Like the American number 10, Yow can play on either wing and could give the team a spark off the bench.
Patrick Schulte
Goalkeeping has been a major issue for the USMNT, and while Patrick Schulte has not shown to be a class above, he is also a young and capable goalkeeper who could offer a lot more than the current crop of goalkeepers. US fans may have seen the best of the existing options.