What started as a quiet transfer window for American players ended with a bang of the unfortunate variety as Folarin Balogun's move to Everton eventually fell through, leaving the Monaco man in limbo. There were issues during his medical, according to reports, and while the deal was renegotiated, it unfortunately led to it not being completed, leaving Everton without an adequate number of strikers following Beto's move to Fiorentina, and also sending Balogun back to Monaco after his wild summer.
From the highs of scoring at the World Cup to the red card being rescinded, that is one of the lasting stories from the tournament, Balogun's summer has been a strange one, and that will only continue after he got so close to a return to the Premier League. But while he didn't get his move, there were plenty of Americans who went to new clubs in Europe during the summer, from Gio Reyna leaving the Bundesliga to Americans flocking to the English Championship. Let's take a look at those moves and what they could mean for Mauricio Pochettino's national team moving forward.
Transfer: Borussia Mönchengladbach to Strasbourg
The past few seasons have been lost ones for Gio Reyna between Nottingham Forest, Borussia Dortmund, and Borussia Mönchengladbach, but now he's made a move to France to join Strasbourg. It's a new environment for Reyna, but in getting his first start for the club, the American has gotten off to a strong start. Still only 23, if Reyna can make the most of this move to France, there's no reason why he can't get back to being a USMNT regular. A surprise addition to the World Cup squad, it's clear that Mauricio Pochettino rates Reyna, and there's the additional benefit of being in the Chelsea system, so if he really breaks out, either there's a route back to the Premier League or to other clubs in the world. Grade: B
Transfer: Borussia Dortmund to SV Elversberg
Another former Dortmund man getting a fresh start, Cole Campbell has become a record signing for SV Elversberg and has already gotten off to a good start, scoring his first goal for the German club. With the high expectations that they have for the 20-year-old, this is a great chance to show what he can do in a league that he's familiar with. Get that done, and there could be national team call-ups and a place at the Olympics in his future. Grade: A
Transfer: Real Salt Lake to Crystal Palace
It has been quite the year for teenagers in the USMNT pipeline as Real Salt Lake winger Zavier Gozo has moved to Crystal Palace, where he'll join Chris Richards. While his debut against Manchester City was tough sledding, that's one of the hardest Premier League games that the 19-year-old will be involved in. Strong on the ball and also having the speed to keep up in the Premier League, this is a great move for him to develop at a higher level as the USMNT winger depth is improving rapidly. It's always good to see when a club values a player like him, coming in by using them in their plans early, so it'll be a move worth watching. Grade: A
There are more Americans in England's second division by the day, so here's a round-up of all the new additions to clubs.
