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Jurgen Klinsmann will play young USMNT stars if they don’t need to win last World Cup qualifier
Some new faces might get their chance next week if things go the USMNT’s way on Friday.
Thomas Niedermueller/Getty Images
The United States men’s national team’s roster for their two upcoming World Cup qualifiers mostly featured familiar names, but also three new ones. Rubio Rubin, Paul Arriola, and Caleb Stanko were among the surprise inclusions in Jurgen Klinsmann’s squad, and he has a plan for them.
“Bringing in a little bit of a bigger group gives us opportunity, depending on what happens in the first game and also paralleled in the Trinidad & Tobago against Guatemala game, that we might be able to change certain things for the second game,” said Klinsmann, implying that the youngsters could get their shot if the USMNT goes into their final game having clinched advancement to the Hex.
If things go the Americans’ way on Friday against St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the match against Trinidad and Tobago could end up being very valuable experience for some young players.
Long diagonal of the day
This Lionel Messi switch is ridiculous. (r/soccer)
In the news
Barcelona has signed Paco Alcacer from Valencia. (FC Barcelona)
Munir has headed the other way. (Valencia CF)
Lucas Perez is now an Arsenal player. (Arsenal)
Wayne Rooney will quit international soccer after the 2018 World Cup. (BBC)
Sam Allardyce says England has to look into naturalizing foreign players. (Guardian)
Aymeric Laporte is switching from France to Spain. (Marca)
You should be reading
Louise Taylor on Michail Antonio’s ascent to the England squad. (Guardian)
Dustin Ward on the stories from Week 1 in the Bundesliga. (Stats Bomb)
Graham Hunter on Marc-Andre ter Stegen and how he won the goalkeeper job at Barcelona. (ESPN FC)
From the rumor mill
Please don’t take anything in this section too seriously, for your own sanity.
Arsenal has been linked to Miguel Almiron. (Sun)
Leicester is trying to sign Sporting Lisbon pair Islam Slimani and Adrien Silva. (Guardian)
Chelsea is closing in on Inter’s Marcelo Brozovic. (Mail)
Lyon has rejected a €50 million offer for Alexandre Lacazette. (@SFR_Sport)
Werder Bremen wants to sign Serge Gnabry from Arsenal. (Bild)
Juventus is after Zenit’s Axel Witsel. (Football Italia)
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