Last year’s European summer transfer window brought shock moves to some of the biggest names in American soccer, with Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah joining Milan and Timothy Weah signing for Juventus.
There have been no high-profile deals for American players across the Atlantic this year, but the summer 2024 transfer window still offered plenty of intriguing stories.
Some players secured transfers in time, potentially attracting the attention of the soon-to-be-appointed Mauricio Pochettino and boosting their hopes of a prominent role at the World Cup on home soil in two years’ time. Others who were expected to move on have stayed put, potentially damaging their international ambitions.
These are our main conclusions from the summer period.
McKennie’s Summer Story
Last season, Weston McKennie enjoyed his most productive period at Juventus since joining the Italian club from Schalke in 2020.
The 26-year-old midfielder, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Leeds in the Premier League, made 29 appearances in Serie A and provided a career-high seven assists, switching between several roles.
Yet McKennie appeared set for a move away from the 36-time Italian champions for much of the current transfer window. He was initially lined up as a counterbalance to the deal that brought Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luis from Aston Villa to Juventus. When the swap fell through and the Turin club signed Luiz in a straight deal instead, McKennie was reportedly close to a move to Fiorentina.
But against all odds, McKennie has remained at Juventus after bringing in new manager Thiago Motta, even extending his contract until 2026. McKennie’s next challenge will be cementing his role in Motta’s starting line-up.
Tessmann’s chance in France
Tanner Tessmann was one of the stars of Venezia’s promotion campaign from Italy’s second division last season. The powerful central midfielder showed real growth in his game in his third year with the Venetian club, scoring a career-high seven goals and missing just one game.
However, it was never likely that the 22-year-old former FC Dallas player would represent Venezia in Serie A this season. Entering the final year of his contract with the club he joined for $3 million in 2021, he was linked with a move to reigning Italian champions Internazionale for much of the summer – with the plan to see him return to Venezia on a season-long loan deal to gain some Serie A experience.
The Inter move fell through, but Tessmann secured a $7.8 million move to Lyon, the French club owned by American billionaire John Textor. He will become the first American player to represent the Ligue 1 club. If Tessmann can play a key role for a major club in one of Europe’s top five leagues, he will soon add to his two USMNT appearances.
Reyna is stuck in limbo
No European-based USMNT player was more in need of a move this summer than Gio Reyna. The 21-year-old playmaker has fallen so far out of favor at Borussia Dortmund that he was loaned to Premier League struggling Nottingham Forest for the second half of last season.
And he fared no better for the England side, making just two starts, scoring none and providing just one assist. After following the path that Pulisic had taken and joining Dortmund at the age of 17, the midfielder seemed destined to become a future star at Signal Iduna Park, where he started 23 games in the 2020-21 season.
But a combination of injuries and poor form has meant that Reyna has started just 11 league games for Dortmund since that breakthrough campaign, with him playing just 10 minutes of competitive action so far this season. He’s remained a key figure for the USMNT throughout their struggles, starting all three games at the 2024 Copa América, but it remains to be seen whether Pochettino will ignore his lack of playing time.
Aaronson is doing well
Brenden Aaronson was booed by Leeds United fans during a pre-season friendly against Valencia last month after the USMNT midfielder unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a move away from the club.
Aaronson, who joined from Red Bull Salzburg for £24.7million in 2022, started strongly at Elland Road, scoring in only his third appearance for the Yorkshire club in the 3-0 win over Chelsea.
But he failed to score in 40 games after that and after Leeds were relegated at the end of the season, he signed a loan deal with Union Berlin for the 2023-24 season.
The energetic American player had a mediocre season in the Bundesliga, scoring just two goals and starting less than half of his 30 games. Although he indicated that he would like to stay with the club permanently, Union quickly confirmed that they would not keep Aaronson once his loan ended.
While Leeds lost several stars this summer after falling short in their bid for promotion from the Championship, Aaronson has stayed. And he has already started to make amends with the fans, showcasing his trademark all-action style and scoring twice in his first five appearances of the season.
He’ll need more of the same if he hopes to rebuild his status within the USMNT. Once seen as a pillar of the national team’s future, Aaronson played just four minutes in the Copa América.
Turner’s Side Step
Another USMNT regular in desperate need of a change of scenery after a disappointing end to the 2023-24 season with Nottingham Forest, Matt Turner was dropped midway through the season by manager Nuno Espírito Santo, having made no Premier League appearances following a Jan. 30 loss to his former club, Arsenal.
With little prospect of regaining his starting position at the City Ground, Turner was expected to seek regular minutes this summer. After being linked with a return to the MLS, he eventually signed for Crystal Palace on loan on the final day of the transfer window.
But his path to playing time will not be any easier at Selhurst Park, where England international Dean Henderson, signed from Manchester United for £20million a year ago, is Palace’s regular goalkeeper.
The 30-year-old former New England Revolution goalkeeper has been the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper for the USMNT for the past four years. But without a starting spot at club level, that status will be threatened by a rapidly growing group of American goalies including Patrick Schulte, Matt Freese and Gaga Slonina.
PSV signs title winner Tillman
Dutch champions PSV paid $13.3 million to convert Malik Tillman’s loan from Bayern Munich into a permanent move in May, just days after he helped them win an Eredivisie title. And it’s easy to see why.
The 22-year-old USMNT star was one of the most productive attacking midfielders outside of Europe’s big five leagues last season, notching an impressive nine league goals and 11 assists in just 1,591 minutes of action. In addition to scoring an impressive nine goals and adding 11 assists in just 1,591 minutes of action, he ranked in the 95th percentile among Eredivisie midfielders in shot creation rates per 90 minutes (5.76) and the 98th percentile in expected goals & assists per 90 (0.49).
Even when he was off the ball, he proved to be a diligent worker. He helped PSV push the opposition, as he ranked in the 97th percentile for blocks per 90 minutes (2.15), in the 92nd percentile for tackles (2.26) and in the 90th percentile for interceptions (0.85).
And he has already scored two goals in three appearances in the 2024-25 season. If Tillman’s form at PSV continues, he should be a crucial figure in Pochettino’s plans for 2026.
