U.S. national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has named his 26 man squad for the USA’s January camp, and as expected it’s made up almost entirely of players from Major League Soccer.
There are call ups MLS’ reigning MVP Mike Magee, Houston’s Tally Hall, plus Colorado Rapids duo Chris Klute and Shane O’Neill, while Sporting KC’s Chance Myers and Seth Sinovic are joined by other first timers Michael Harrington, DeAndre Yedlin and Real Salt Lake’s Luis Gil.
All of whom could win their first U.S. caps in the upcoming friendly with South Korea on February 1.
Klinsmann has gone for plenty of youth in his squad, with the likes of Yedlin, Gil, Klute and O’Neill all impressing as youngsters in MLS over the 2013 season. With it being the U.S. domestic offseason during the winter, 25 of the players are from MLS as only Rosenborg’s Mix Diskerud is included from the European contingent of U.S. players.
(MORE: Jurgen Klinsmann breaks down USMNT’s January roster- VIDEO)
One other note as out of contract forward Juan Agudelo, who saw his move to the Premier League with Stoke City fall through after work permit issues, was initially included in the squad but has since been taken off. He’s expected to sign a contract overseas in the next few hours.
The camp runs from January 6-Febuary 1, and will be spread across two continents. After six days in California, a 23-player group will base in Sao Paulo from Jan. 13-25 to give the players and staff a dry run of this summer’s tournament in Brazil. The team will then return to the U.S. Soccer National Training Center.
More reaction coming up soon on ProSoccerTalk, as Klinsmann explains his selections for the January camp.
FULL U.S. JANUARY CAMP ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (4): Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (10): Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Michael Harrington (Portland Timbers), Chris Klute (Colorado Rapids), Chance Myers (Sporting Kansas City), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids), Seth Sinovic (Sporting Kansas City), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Eric Alexander (New York Red Bulls), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FORWARDS (4): Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (D.C. United), Mike Magee (Chicago Fire), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
