Reporting window: August 24-30, 2026
The strongest American performances of the week came from Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, Sergiño Dest and Yunus Musah. Reyna made an encouraging first start for Strasbourg and was involved in a steady stream of dangerous moments, while Campbell scored in Elversberg’s stunning Bundesliga-opening win over Bayer Leverkusen. Dest continued his stellar run in the Netherlands with a goal and an assist.
There were also a few rough developments. Chris Richards had a difficult night dealing with Erling Haaland, Brenden Aaronson was pulled at halftime after an ineffective start for Leeds and Tanner Tessmann struggled in Lyon’s Champions League elimination. Kevin Paredes also received confirmation that his latest ankle injury will keep him out for several months.
Stock Watch
Up
- Gio Reyna
- Cole Campbell
- Sergiño Dest
- Yunus Musah
Mixed
- Antonee Robinson
- Chris Richards
- Malik Tillman
- Tim Weah
- Johnny Cardoso
- Ricardo Pepi
- Tanner Tessmann
Concern
- Brenden Aaronson
- Joe Scally
- Bryan Reynolds
- Haji Wright
- Kevin Paredes
Up: Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, Sergiño Dest and Yunus Musah.
Reyna’s first Strasbourg start was the type of performance he badly needed after years of inconsistent club minutes. Campbell scored nine minutes into Elversberg’s first Bundesliga game and looked comfortable at the level. Dest contributed another goal and assist for PSV, while Musah played another full 90 and received positive reviews for his midfield work despite missing a golden scoring chance.
Encouraging role developments: Alex Freeman, Zavier Gozo and Noahkai Banks.
Freeman finally received a meaningful La Liga opportunity, playing the final 28 minutes against Alavés after barely featuring in Villarreal’s first two matches. Gozo made his Premier League debut for Crystal Palace with 22 minutes against Manchester City. Banks opened the Bundesliga season as a starter in Augsburg’s 3-0 win over Schalke, continuing an encouraging start after also playing 90 minutes in the cup.
Transfer watch: Balogun’s proposed Everton move was called off late on deadline day, leaving him at Monaco and restoring uncertainty around his immediate club role.
Mixed: Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, Malik Tillman, Tim Weah, Johnny Cardoso, Ricardo Pepi, and Tanner Tessman
Robinson continues to play major minutes for Fulham, but the team has started poorly. Richards’ starting position remains secure, but he came up short on the tall task of defending Erling Haaland this weekend.Tillman remained in Leverkusen’s starting lineup but was part of a disappointing attacking performance against Elversberg. Weah captained Marseille again but received poor local reviews in a loss to Monaco. Cardoso finally got his first Atlético minutes, although only for the final six minutes, while Pepi started yet again for PSV but was one of the few attackers who did not contribute to the 6-1 rout of Utrecht.Tessman was part of an elimination mid-week in Europe then was rested at the weekend.
Concern: Brenden Aaronson, Joe Scally, Bryan Reynolds, Haji Wright and Kevin Paredes.
Aaronson lasted only 45 minutes against Brentford, with Leeds-focused coverage saying the game passed him by. Scally is on Gladbach’s transfer list, Reynolds has barely played since joining Rennes, Wright remains out with his quad injury and Paredes now faces another lengthy rehabilitation.
Spotlight Players
Gio Reyna, Strasbourg (Ligue 1)
This was an extremely encouraging first start for Reyna.
He played 76 minutes as Strasbourg came from behind to beat Lens 2-1, and while he did not finish with a goal or assist, he was involved in a surprising number of Strasbourg’s dangerous sequences, particularly in the first half.
Reyna almost made an immediate impact in the 2nd minute, getting onto a ball in the box and having his header blocked. Five minutes later came perhaps the most interesting sequence of the game from a USMNT perspective. Reyna combined neatly with teammates down the left, received the ball moving toward goal and dribbled into the penalty area before Yacine Titraoui recovered with a desperate challenge. It was close enough to a penalty that a slightly mistimed tackle probably sends Reyna to the spot.
He kept finding similar positions. In the 29th minute, Reyna received between the lines and helped create a shooting opportunity for Sebastian Nanasi. In the 34th, a set piece dropped toward him in the box and Reyna struck a difficult left-footed volley cleanly enough to force an excellent reaction save from Robin Risser. Just before halftime, he found space on the left and delivered a well-placed cross onto the head of a teammate, who sent it over.
What stood out was the variety.
Reyna was not simply standing centrally waiting for the ball. He drifted left to combine, received between midfield and defense, carried the ball toward the box and made himself available around the penalty area. Maxifoot gave him a 6.5, specifically praising his freedom of movement, ability to eliminate defenders and availability between the lines.
His involvement continued immediately after halftime. In the 48th minute, Reyna had a nice touch during the buildup to Gessime Yassine’s equalizer. Around the 56th, he again helped connect several passes before Strasbourg appeared to score a second goal, only for VAR to wipe it away for offside.
His influence faded somewhat as the second half progressed, and Strasbourg became more dangerous again after Samuel Amo-Ameyaw replaced him in the 76th minute. That is the main caveat to an otherwise very positive performance. Maxifoot made the same point, praising his start while noting that his impact became less consistent later.
Still, this was about as good of a first start as Reyna could have hoped for without actually getting on the scoresheet. The most important thing for Reyna this season is not producing a highlight every week. It is becoming a reliable starter who consistently gets 70 or 80 minutes and is trusted to help create chances.
Against Lens, he looked like a player who should get another opportunity to do exactly that.
Chris Richards, Crystal Palace (Premier League)
Richards had a much more difficult night against Manchester City, particularly when matched up with Erling Haaland. The first lowlight arrived in the 17th minute. Antoine Semenyo sent a cross into the box and Haaland drifted behind Richards before directing his header past Dean Henderson.
Defending Haaland on a well-delivered cross is about as difficult an assignment as a center back can receive, but Richards lost track of him at exactly the wrong moment.
The second goal was less direct but probably more frustrating. Phil Foden drove through the Palace defense late in the game and eventually found Haaland inside the box. Richards was again the closest defender and did not close the space aggressively enough, allowing Haaland time to set himself and rip a left-footed finish past Henderson for City’s fourth.
There is context. Palace was stretched by that stage, Foden had already broken the initial defensive structure, and the opponent was one of the best strikers in the world. Richards still will not enjoy watching either clip.
This was also not 90 minutes of terrible defending. Palace-focused ratings generally treated him as somewhere around the middle of the team rather than the primary reason for the 4-1 loss. Palace itself created enough chances to make the match competitive for stretches before City’s superior finishing eventually turned it into a blowout.
The larger positive remains Richards’ club role. He continues to start against opponents like Manchester City and has become an established Premier League center back.
But if he is going to become the unquestioned leader of the USMNT defense during the next cycle, these are the individual moments he needs to win more often.
Cole Campbell, Elversberg (Bundesliga)
Campbell could hardly have asked for a better start to Elversberg’s Bundesliga season. Playing on the left side of the attack in the club’s first-ever Bundesliga match, Campbell scored in the 9th minute to put Elversberg 2-0 ahead against Tillman’s Bayer Leverkusen.
The goal came immediately after the restart following Elversberg’s opener. Leverkusen played a poor pass in its own half, Campbell reacted quickly to collect the loose ball and confidently drove his shot home before the visitors could reset.
Elversberg scored again immediately after halftime and eventually survived a late Leverkusen push to win 3-2, an enormous opening-day result for a club that was playing in Germany’s fourth tier only a few years ago. Regional outlet SR described Elversberg as fearless from the opening whistle, aggressively attacking Leverkusen instead of simply sitting back and trying to survive.
Campbell fit that approach well, playing about 65 minutes, with three shots on target, eight duels won and repeatedly threatening with his speed from the left. Bundesliga coverage described him as a consistent danger with the ball and highlighted his willingness to attack defenders.
This was technically not Campbell’s Bundesliga debut, since he previously received senior minutes with Dortmund and Hoffenheim. It was his first Bundesliga start for Elversberg, though, and easily one of the most substantial senior performances of his career.
Campbell’s upside has been obvious for several years. The problem at Dortmund was that flashes in preseason and youth soccer never turned into enough senior evidence.
Elversberg gives him the opportunity to change that.
Scoring against Leverkusen is a pretty good way to begin.
Yunus Musah, AC Milan (Serie A)
Musah followed up his excellent opening-weekend performance with another full 90 minutes in Milan’s 2-0 win over Venezia. The local reviews were slightly more mixed this time, although the general description of his performance was encouraging. He was efficient with his passing if not always adventurous.
Musah again played centrally and provided Milan with something its other midfielders do not always offer: the ability to cover large areas quickly, win possession and immediately move the team forward.
Gazzetta dello Sport gave him a 6.5, calling him Milan’s best midfielder. Their review praised a couple of aggressive early runs before he settled into a more functional role winning the ball and doing the dirty work in midfield. SportMediaset also gave him a 6.5 and emphasized that Milan often became dangerous immediately after Musah recovered possession and started an attack.
Casa Milan and Sky were slightly less enthusiastic, each giving him a 6. Casa Milan similarly praised his ball recoveries and ability to restart attacks but noted some inaccurate passing.
The biggest negative came in the 54th minute.
A free kick bounced loose in the Venezia box and fell perfectly to Musah with most of the goal available. He hit the shot hard but off the crossbar, wasting what should have been the opening goal. Several Milan ratings knocked him down specifically for the miss.
That keeps this from being another standout performance, but the larger trend is encouraging.
For years the Musah discussion has focused on his athleticism and ability to dribble out of pressure while questioning whether he can become a complete midfielder. Milan is now asking him to do more of the connective work, defend intelligently and move possession quickly rather than simply carry it himself.
Two games into the season, he has started both and played well enough for the local coverage to notice the improvement.
That is a very good place to start.
The weekly European watch gets an MLS exception this week because two of the most interesting young American prospects produced performances worth highlighting in Philadelphia’s 3-1 win over Red Bull New York.
Cavan Sullivan, Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Sullivan’s goal in the 50th minute was spectacular.
Danley Jean Jacques hit a long diagonal pass toward the right side. Sullivan controlled it out of the air with an outstanding first touch that simultaneously brought the ball down and put him in position to attack the defender. He then cut onto his left foot and ripped a low shot into the far corner.
The Philadelphia Inquirer described it as easily the best of Sullivan’s six first-team goals, while Union interim manager Ryan Richter called it the first truly special individual scoring play Sullivan has produced at the senior level. The first touch may have been even better than the finish.
It is the type of play that illustrates why Sullivan remains such an unusual prospect. Plenty of young players can finish once they get into the box. The harder part is recognizing the incoming pass, controlling it without breaking stride and immediately creating an advantage against the defender. Sullivan is increasingly doing those things against adults rather than simply at youth level.
He was dangerous beyond the goal as well, repeatedly creating his own space through dribbling and combinations. The goal extended his run to four straight MLS matches with a goal or assist, making him the first 16-year-old to accomplish that.
The hype around Sullivan has existed for years.
The difference now is that there is actual senior production to go with it.
Neil Pierre, Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Pierre had a strong night at the other end of the field for the Union, combining an important defensive intervention with another goal.
Just before halftime, Red Bull broke through Philadelphia’s press and Julian Hall found room for a dangerous shot. Pierre read the play quickly and got across to block it, preserving Philadelphia’s lead going into the half.
Pierre continued his solid defensive work after halftime, chasing down attacks and using his size and athleticism to clean up situations when Red Bull got beyond the initial press.
Then in the 65th minute he added another goal off a set piece. Milan Iloski sent a free kick toward the near post, Bruno Damiani flicked it across the box and Pierre arrived at the back side to slide forward and poke the ball home for Philadelphia’s third.
Pierre now has four goals and an assist during Philadelphia’s seven-match unbeaten run, ridiculous attacking production for a center back even if much of it comes from set pieces.
For a centerback, the goals are a bonus. The more interesting USMNT development is that Pierre is beginning to pair his unusual physical tools with more consistent defensive decision-making. At 6-foot-5 he obviously has the size to dominate aerially, but his ability to cover ground and defend outside his own box is what gives him a chance to become something more than a traditional penalty-area center back.
There is still a long way to go, but a night where he makes a goal-saving block at one end and scores at the other is a pretty good demonstration of why he is worth following.
Premier League
Tyler Adams, Bournemouth
Adams again began on the bench for Bournemouth and entered in the second half of the 1-1 draw with Everton.
He replaced Lewis Cook around the 69th minute with Bournemouth protecting a lead before Everton eventually equalized from a stoppage-time corner.
There was not much opportunity for Adams to influence the match beyond helping Bournemouth defend its advantage. More interesting is the early depth-chart question. He has now been available for both league games without starting either.
Given his importance to the USMNT when healthy, it will be worth watching whether that is simply post-World Cup workload management or Bournemouth’s preferred midfield hierarchy.
Antonee Robinson, Fulham
Robinson had a busy week, starting both of Fulham’s Premier League matches, playing 82 minutes in the 3-2 loss to Chelsea on Monday and then going the full 90 in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.
Fulham is adapting to a more aggressive possession structure under Álvaro Arbeloa, with the fullbacks receiving more responsibility in buildup and the entire team committing more numbers forward. That can create good attacking positions for Robinson, but it also asks him to do more work receiving and progressing the ball in crowded areas rather than simply exploding forward on overlapping runs.
Two games is far too early to judge whether the system suits him, but Fulham has opened the season with consecutive league losses and Robinson has not had his usual influence in the final third.
Brenden Aaronson, Leeds
Aaronson started Leeds’ 1-1 draw against Brentford but lasted only 45 minutes.
LeedsUnited.news gave him a 4/10 and said the game simply did not suit him. Aaronson struggled to get involved, made little attacking impact and was replaced by Harry Wilson at halftime as Daniel Farke changed the midfield structure.
That is a disappointing follow-up after he also received lukewarm local reviews in the opening-weekend win at Nottingham Forest. Aaronson remains part of the rotation, but he needs to turn the pressing and movement that coaches appreciate into more consistent attacking production.
Haji Wright, Coventry
Wright remains sidelined with the serious quadriceps injury that is expected to keep him out for roughly three months.
There is not much new to report until he gets closer to returning. The frustrating part is that the injury removes his opportunity to immediately prove that his Championship scoring production can translate to the Premier League.
Zavier Gozo, Crystal Palace
Gozo made his Premier League debut against Manchester City, replacing Yéremy Pino in the 68th minute.
The match was already getting away from Palace by the time he entered, so there was little opportunity to make a real impact. Still, 22 Premier League minutes only ten days after completing his move from Real Salt Lake is an encouraging early sign.
The first goal for Gozo is simply to keep making the matchday squad. Consistent substitute appearances would already make this a very productive first few months in England.
La Liga
Johnny Cardoso, Atlético Madrid
Cardoso finally made his first La Liga appearance of the season, replacing Morten Hjulmand in the 85th minute of Atlético’s 3-1 win at Sevilla.
Six minutes is not enough to evaluate the performance, but simply getting onto the field represents progress after he was an unused substitute in Atlético’s opening two matches.
The depth-chart issue remains. Hjulmand has started well, Pablo Barrios continues to play major minutes and Cardoso is entering the season as the midfielder trying to break into an established group rather than reclaiming an automatic role.
Alex Freeman, Villarreal
Freeman received his most substantial minutes of the season in Villarreal’s 1-0 loss at Alavés.
He replaced Santiago Mouriño at right back in the 62nd minute and played the final 28-plus minutes as Villarreal chased an equalizer.
There was no major attacking contribution, but the minutes are the relevant development.
After only a token appearance in the opener and then remaining on the bench against Atlético, Freeman finally got enough time to actually participate in the match. The next step is turning those half-hour cameos into real competition for starts.
Serie A
Christian Pulisic, AC Milan
Pulisic was available but remained an unused substitute in Milan’s 2-0 victory over Venezia.
His delayed post-World Cup return means Milan has been able to bring him along slowly rather than immediately throwing him into the starting lineup.
There is no serious reason for concern yet, but after two league games without an appearance, the next couple of weeks should begin revealing how Rúben Amorim intends to fit Pulisic into a reshaped attack.
Weston McKennie, Juventus
McKennie missed Juventus’ 2-0 victory over Parma because of fatigue.
Luciano Spalletti confirmed before the game that McKennie would be unavailable rather than leaving him out for tactical reasons.
After starting Juventus’ opener, this looks like workload management rather than anything related to his place in the team.
Benjamin Cremaschi, Parma
Cremaschi played roughly the final half hour of Parma’s 2-0 loss to Juventus, continuing his return after injuries disrupted most of last season.
He did not substantially change a Parma attack that spent much of the game defending deep and struggling to create clean opportunities.
The minutes remain more important than the performance right now. Cremaschi barely played during his first Serie A season. Establishing himself as a regular substitute would at least give him the chance to push for something larger.
Gianluca Busio, Venezia
Busio played another full 90 minutes as Venezia lost 2-0 to Milan.
Sky Italia gave him a 6, placing him around the middle of Venezia’s ratings rather than among the players blamed for the defeat.
Venezia has lost its opening two matches, but Busio continues to start centrally and carry significant responsibility in possession. That is a useful club situation even if the team around him may spend much of the season fighting relegation.
Germany
Malik Tillman, Bayer Leverkusen
Tillman started against Campbell’s Elversberg but had relatively little influence as Leverkusen somehow fell behind 3-0 to the newly promoted club. He played about 65 minutes before being substituted during Leverkusen’s attempt to rescue the match.
The entire Leverkusen attack deserves criticism. They controlled most of the possession but were repeatedly caught by Elversberg’s intensity and created too little until the game was already slipping away.
Tillman’s strong World Cup and cup opener remain more meaningful than one poor Bundesliga afternoon, but this was certainly a step backward.
Noahkai Banks, Augsburg
Banks played 90 minutes in Augsburg’s 3-0 victory over Schalke and helped the club begin its Bundesliga season with a clean sheet. Combined with his full 90 in the DFB-Pokal the previous weekend, Banks has now started the season with consecutive complete games.
For a 19-year-old center back, being boringly dependable enough to stay on the field every week is probably more valuable than producing a string of highlight plays.
If Banks eventually chooses the United States internationally, regular Bundesliga minutes will make it difficult to keep him outside the USMNT center-back conversation.
Joe Scally, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Scally’s situation has become pretty clear.
Gladbach sporting director Rouven Schröder publicly placed both Scally and Florian Neuhaus on the transfer list after manager Eugen Polanski excluded them from the cup squad. Local coverage described the move as an unmistakable signal that neither player is part of the preferred plans.
He did, however, come on for the final 14 minutes against Leipzig on Saturday.
Scally is only 23 and already has extensive Bundesliga and USMNT experience.
At this point, getting out of Gladbach and finding another club where he can actually play looks like the obvious best outcome.
Mathis Albert, Borussia Dortmund
Albert did not feature for Dortmund’s senior team but dropped down to the youth/U21 group and promptly produced a goal and an assist in a 4-1 Premier League International Cup victory over Fulham’s U21s.
He created Dortmund’s equalizer with a long pass in the 25th minute and then scored himself three minutes later after pouncing on a poor Fulham pass. Dortmund’s official report described Albert as lively throughout the match.
The talent is clearly beyond question at youth level.
The developmental problem is getting those same opportunities against Bundesliga defenders.
Lennard Maloney, MainzMaloney was an unused substitute for the second straight competitive match as Mainz drew 0-0 with Paderborn.
Mainz used several substitutions without turning to him.
It is still early, but the pattern is becoming difficult to ignore. Maloney currently appears to be depth rather than a major piece of the midfield rotation.
Ligue 1
Folarin Balogun, Monaco
Balogun did not play for Monaco this week, with the club working toward a late transfer.
Everton and Monaco had agreed a deal to send the USMNT striker back to the Premier League, but the transfer was called off at the last minute on deadline day. Balogun remains at Monaco.
Monaco had kept him out of its opening matches while working on the move, so there is nothing meaningful to evaluate from his club performances this week. The failed transfer leaves his immediate role in Monaco’s attack as the key question.
For the USMNT, the main point is that Balogun stays with a club where he has already shown he can produce. The next step is simply rejoining Monaco’s matchday group and turning that continuity into competitive minutes.
Tim Weah, Marseille
Weah again started at right back and wore the captain’s armband in Marseille’s 2-0 loss at Monaco.
Marseille-focused ratings generally criticized his lack of attacking influence, with Weah struggling to consistently create danger from wide areas as Monaco controlled the match.
There continues to be an interesting split between Weah’s club standing and his weekly output. Being trusted enough to captain Marseille is meaningful evidence of how highly the coaching staff values him, but he has not yet translated that trust into especially impactful performances.
Tanner Tessmann, Lyon
Tessmann started Lyon’s decisive Champions League qualifier against Fenerbahçe and played about 75 minutes in the 2-1 loss that eliminated Lyon from the competition.
This was a much tougher night than his strong performance in the first leg.
Lyon struggled to control midfield for long periods and Tessmann was unable to dictate the game or consistently move possession through Fenerbahçe’s pressure.
Three days later he was an unused substitute in Lyon’s 1-1 league draw against Le Havre. There are rumblings that he could be in line for a transfer away from Lyon, as the club is in some financial trouble. Or the weekend off could have just been rest after a tough European match.
Mark McKenzie, Toulouse
McKenzie played another full 90 minutes as Toulouse drew Brest 2-2.
He has now played every minute of Toulouse’s first two Ligue 1 matches.
Toulouse will be frustrated to have conceded a 95th-minute equalizer after twice taking the lead, but McKenzie’s starting role appears secure.
After being more of a depth piece for the US at the World Cup, consistent Ligue 1 starts give him the opportunity to push himself back toward the national-team rotation.
Bryan Reynolds, Rennes
Reynolds was an unused substitute in Rennes’ 3-2 victory over Le Mans. He has played only two Ligue 1 minutes through Rennes’ first two league games. That is becoming an early concern.
The idea behind moving to Rennes was to step into a stronger league and test himself at a higher level. That only helps if he actually gets onto the field.
Eredivisie
Sergiño Dest, PSV
Dest remains on fire, playing all 90 minutes and recording a goal and an assist as PSV demolished Utrecht 6-1.
The assist came on Guus Til’s first-half goal, while Dest capped the scoring himself in stoppage time after another aggressive attacking run. He finished with four shots, three on target and six crosses.
Through his first three Eredivisie appearances of the season, Dest already has two goals and two assists. There are few American players whose club role translates as directly to something the USMNT can use. Dest is essentially another attacker when PSV has the ball, capable of overlapping outside, dribbling centrally or arriving late around the box.
When healthy and playing this confidently, he remains nearly impossible to replicate within the American pool.
Ricardo Pepi, PSV
Pepi started his fourth consecutive Eredivisie match but was oddly left out of PSV’s scoring explosion. He played 77 minutes, finishing with only one shot as PSV scored six goals around him.
There is no reason to read too much into one quiet afternoon. Pepi has already scored twice this season and, more importantly, appears to have established himself as PSV’s first-choice striker rather than the high-efficiency backup role he occupied previously.
For his USMNT outlook, the consistent starts matter almost as much as the goals.
Kevin Paredes, Utrecht
Unfortunately, Utrecht confirmed that Paredes will miss several months with the ankle injury he suffered against Sparta Rotterdam.
The club said Paredes had been feeling increasingly comfortable as his minutes grew before the setback.
That is what makes this injury especially frustrating.
Paredes spent much of the previous two seasons battling injuries, and the move to Utrecht was supposed to provide a fresh opportunity to stay healthy and establish a stable role.
Instead, another rehabilitation process begins almost immediately.