The United States men’s national team got some terrible news on Wednesday, learning that John Brooks would miss at least three months with a thigh injury. That means Brooks will be unable to play in the United States’ remaining four World Cup qualifying matches.
USMNT defender John Brooks will miss all remaining World Cup qualifiers with injury
A thigh injury will keep him out of action with Wolfsburg for three months.
Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
Brooks moved from Hertha Berlin to Wolfsburg this summer for €20 million — the largest fee ever paid for an American. Wolfsburg nearly got relegated last season, and Brooks was expected to be a key player in turning around their defense.
When fit, Brooks has often been the Americans’ best players over the last two years. But if there’s a silver lining, it’s that Matt Besler and Omar Gonzalez have done a solid job of deputizing this summer. The USMNT grabbed a 1-1 draw against Mexico at Estadio Azteca with Brooks unavailable to play, then went on to win the Gold Cup without Brooks as well.
The USMNT hosts Costa Rica on Sept. 1, then goes to Honduras on September 5. The Americans then play Panama at home on Oct. 6, before finishing away to Trinidad and Tobago on Oct. 9. The USMNT currently sits third in the Hex, in an automatic qualifying spot, one point ahead of Panama.
Goal of the day
In the news
Real Madrid has lost their appeal against Cristiano Ronaldo’s five-match ban, which starts on Wednesday night. (Marca)
Madridistas are going to protest with a banner during the second leg of the Supercopa. (ESPN FC)
Andres Iniesta will miss Wednesday’s game after picking up a minor injury in training. (Sport)
The Colorado Rapids have fired Pablo Mastroeni. (Burgundy Wave)
Wilfried Zaha will miss four weeks with a knee injury. (Guardian)
Ronald Koeman confirmed that Gylfi Sigurdsson passed a medical ahead of his proposed move to Everton. (BBC)
Villarreal has signed Carlos Bacca on loan with an option to buy. (Villarreal)
Jese has joined Stoke on loan from PSG. (Stoke)
In a cooresponding move, Stoke has sold striker Joselu to Newcastle. (NUFC)
You should be reading
Sari Hagen on loving a player more than a club. (Unusual Efforts)
Matthew Santangelo on the soap opera career of Antonio Cassano. (These Football Times)
Peter Burt on the Estadio Hernando Siles in La Paz, which sits 11,932 feet above sea level. (IBWM)
Fun with transfer rumors
Tottenham has reportedly agreed to a fee for PSG right back Serge Aurier. (Mirror)
Chelsea is chasing Southampton’s right back Cedric. (Telegraph)
Barcelona will reportedly pay nearly €100m up front for Ousmane Dembele and is now just working out the incentives with Dortmund. (Mail)
Blaise Matuidi has arrived at Juventus for his medical. (Football Italia)
Arsene Wenger is apparently willing to lose all of Alexis Sanchez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere for free rather than selling them. (Standard)
What happened on Tuesday
Liverpool won away to Hoffenheim, making themselves big favorites for the second leg of their Champions League playoff. (Liverpool Offside)
FC Cincinnati’s cinderella story is over. New York Red Bulls knocked them out of the US Open Cup. (Once A Metro)
What to watch on Wednesday (click for listings, all times ET)
UEFA Champions League playoffs: 5 games (2:45 p.m.) -- Napoli vs. Nice is the big headline match.
Supercopa de España: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona (5 p.m.) -- Los Merengues have a commanding lead after winning at Camp Nou on Sunday.
