The summer transfer window slammed shut across Europe on Tuesday evening, and for fans of the U.S. men’s national team, it was a frustrating Deadline Day as the biggest potential move of any American player post-2026 FIFA World Cup fell apart at the 11th hour.
Folarin Balogun was thought to be headed to English Premier League mainstay Everton from Monaco in a deal worth more than $50 million.
With three goals in four games during soccer’s quadrennial showpiece, the 25-year-old New York-born, London-bred Balogun was the breakout star for the Americans at this summer’s World Cup. That showing drew interest from multiple suitors, but the Toffees — the club where USA legends Tim Howard, Landon Donovan and Brian McBride all once played — appeared to have won the race for his signature.
But following some last minute hiccups, Balogun reportedly walked away from the deal late Tuesday despite traveling to Merseyside to complete the deal.
Although Balogun’s high-profile move didn’t happen, other Americans found new clubs this window.Here’s how the transfers of five of his Stars and Stripes teammates could impact their club careers and the national team in the months ahead.
Zavier Gozo: Real Salt Lake To Crystal Palace
(Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
As I reported in May, USA coach Mauricio Pochettino thought enough of Gozo’s performances with RSL to include the uncapped 19-year-old on the Americans’ 55-player “provisional” World Cup roster, the preliminary list from which the final 26 came. So did Palace after the Utah native bagged 10 goals in 42 MLS games, including six in 16 appearances in 2026. Gozo made his Premier League debut for the London club in last week’s loss to mighty Manchester City.
Gio Reyna: Borussia Mönchengladbach To Strasbourg
(Photo by Yohan Castella/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
After spending the first seven years of his career in Germany, the 23-year-old traded the Bundesliga for France’s Ligue 1. Reyna, who scored a brilliant goal to cap the Americans’ World Cup-opening 4-1 rout of Paraguay, joined Les Bleus et Blanc for $3.5 million in early August on a five-year contract. The onetime teenage prodigy managed only one goal in 20 appearances — 16 of them off the bench for ‘Gladbach in 2025-26. He should play more this season; Strasbourg’s new No. 10 started and logged 76 minutes in central midfield during the club’s most recent outing, a 2-1 win over Lens last Saturday.
Sebastian Berhalter: Vancouver Whitecaps To Middlesbrough
(Photo by Trevor Wilkinson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The scrappy central midfielder and set-piece specialist could’ve traded Western Canada for England’s second tier before the World Cup, opting instead to stay in Vancouver and cement the roster spot he won with aplomb last year. It worked: Berhalter appeared in all five of the USA’s contests and scored in the 3-2 group stage loss to vs. Türkiye. Now he’ll try to help ‘Boro gain promotion back to the Premier League after heartbreak in last season’s promotion playoff final. Berhalter walked straight into coach Kim Hellberg’s starting lineup upon arrival in late July, notching the game-winning assist against Wrexham in his first appearance the following week. The 25-year-old, who would’ve been a free agent this winter, has started each of the club’s five games across all competitions so far.
Max Arfsten: Columbus Crew To Middlesbrough
(Photo by Trevor Wilkinson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Arfsten became the third American at ‘Boro, joining Berhalter and Aidan Morris — one of the final cuts to Pochettino’s roster — when he signed Aug. 4 for a fee of up to $7.5 including incentives, according to the Athletic’s Tom Bogert. The attack-minded left back made one brief cameo as Antonee “Jedi”Robinson deputy at the World Cup. He could play a larger role under Poch this cycle given the 29-year-old Jedi’s history of knee problems. Arfsten, 25, is already gaining crucial experience in the rough and tumble Championship, having appeared in all three league games last month ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Burnley.
Jack McGlynn: Houston Dynamo To Stoke City
(Photo by Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Although an untimely injury cost the sweet-footed lefty any real chance of competing for a place on the Americans’ World Cup squad, McGlynn, 23, will be just entering his prime in 2030. Pochettino likes the Queens, New York product’s profile, having capped him 12 times in 2025 and getting two goals in return. Stoke needs the help, with the longtime Premier League team languishing in 21st place in the 24-strong Championship four games into the 2026-27 campaign. They got some by landing McGlynn on Deadline Day.
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