Now that the transfer window is closed, it's time for another update (position, name, birth year, club).
A few trends I've noticed:
- Even as MLS clubs have been spending more on bringing established USMNT talent back to the US, I think there's an unprecedented flow of youth talent heading in the other direction. Over the past 12-18 months, a ton of American amateurs have been signing abroad in Europe's big leagues. Even though there are passport-related and age-related barriers to entry in all Euro markets, there has been a combination of increased talent production in the US and increased scouting of the US by Euro clubs. Christian Pulisic is the crown jewel of this trend, but he's not the only talent out there. Many of these players are still 18 or 19, so I think 2016-17 will largely be a season of quiet progress and first team debuts, with more visible steps forward coming the following years.
- Median salaries in MLS have risen over the last five years and it shows in the American presence in Scandinavia. Denmark, Sweden, and Norway used to have a cadre of solid MLS types who left in search of better contracts, but A.J. Soares is the only one to fit that description now (and he's a refugee from the Revolution!). The rest are fringy MLS types or worse and those who signed out of high school like Horvath and Gatt.
- As always, there is a metric fuckton of youth players in Mexico. The attrition rate is really high, though. I've gotten the sense that Mexican academies are bloated, with far too many organizational soldier types. Liga MX runs a U20 and U17 league, but Liga MX clubs also typically field clubs in the Segunda Division (third tier). The Segunda teams serve as holding pens for players who have aged out of the U20s but haven't made the leap to the first team and sometimes as an intermediate step between the U17s and U20s. To make matters worse, Liga MX recently adopted their "10/8" rule, which states that the number of foreign-born players in a matchday squad cannot exceed 10. This ostensibly was done to promote youth development; Mexican clubs can naturalize other Hispanic players within two years and they'd no longer count as domestics. But the 10/8 rule has led to situations at Tijuana where they are starting 10 foreigners (seven Argentines!) just about every game -- and are leading the league. It's also led to the absurdity of certain Mexican-Americans counting as foreigners (if they came to Liga MX after age 19) and the extra absurdity of former San Jose player Rafael Baca counting as a foreigner....even though he only holds Mexican citizenship.
Armenia
Premier League
FW Bryan de la Fuente, 92, Shirak
FW Kyrian Nwabueze, 92, Ararat
Azerbaijan
Premier League
MF Adam Coronado, 90, AZAL
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Premier League
AM Nermin Crnkić, 92, FK Sarajevo
FW Danijal Brković, 91, Čelik Zenica
Colombia
Primera A
GK Kevin Piedrahita, 91, Rionegro Águilas
MF Juan Guzman, 88, Patriotas
FW Omar Salgado, 93, Jaguares de Córdoba (on loan from Tigres)
Primera B
CM Juan Niño, 90, Barranquilla
Cyprus
First Division
AM Louis Bennett II, 95, Anorthosis Famagusta
Denmark
Superliga
CB A.J. Soares, 88, AGF Aarhus
CM George Fochive, 92, Viborg
CM Conor O'Brien, 88, Horsens
1. Division
GK Mike Lansing, 94, Vejle
CB Babajide Ogunbiyi, 86, Hobro
FW Sammy Adjei, 93, Næstved
FW Ryan Finley, 91, Næstved
England
Premier League
GK Brad Guzan, 84, Middlesbrough
CB Geoff Cameron, 85, Stoke City
CB Cameron Carter-Vickers, 97, Tottenham Hotspur
CM Emerson Hyndman, 96, Bournemouth
AM Lynden Gooch, 95, Sunderland
Championship
RB Eric Lichaj, 88, Nottingham Forest
RB DeAndre Yedlin, 93, Newcastle United
CB Tim Ream, 87, Fulham
CB Jonathan Spector, 86, Birmingham City
CM Danny Williams, 89, Reading
League One
AM Gboly Ariyibi, 95, Chesterfield
AM Duane Holmes, 94, Scunthorpe United
FW Jack McBean, 94, Coventry City (on loan from LA Galaxy)
National League
GK Brendan Moore, 92, Torquay United
Faroe Islands
Premier League
CB Mayowa Alli, 92, KÍ
Finland
Veikkausliiga
GK Tyler Back, 93, RoPS
GK Craig Hill, 87, KuPS
AM Will John, 85, RoPS
AM Brian Span, 92, IFK Mariehamn
FW Christian Eissele, 92, Kemi Kings
Ykkönen
GK Tim Murray, 87, Ekenäs IF
CB Etchu Tabe, 86, Haka
CB Gabriel Wirz, 92, FC Jazz
LB Mike Banner, 84, KPV
MF Kyle Curinga, 93, Jaro
MF Isaac Kannah, 93, KTP
MF Daniel Stevens, 85, GrIFK
France
Ligue 2
GK Quentin Westberg, 86, Tours
FW Jordan Siebatcheu, 96, Reims
Germany
Bundesliga
RB Timothy Chandler, 90, Eintracht Frankfurt
CB John Brooks, 93, Hertha Berlin
CM Alfredo Morales, 90, Ingolstadt
AM Fabian Johnson, 87, Borussia Mönchengladbach
AM Christian Pulisic, 98, Borussia Dortmund
FW Terrence Boyd, 91, RB Leipzig
FW Julian Green, 95, Bayern Munich
FW Aron Jóhannsson, 90, Werder Bremen
FW Bobby Wood, 92, Hamburg
2.Bundesliga
CM Russell Canouse, 95, Bochum (on loan from Hoffenheim)
AM Jerome Kiesewetter, 93, Fortuna Düsseldorf
AM Joel Soñora, 96, Stuttgart
FW Fafà Picault, 91, St. Pauli
FW Andrew Wooten, 89, Sandhausen
3. Liga
GK Kenneth Kronholm, 85, Holstein Kiel
GK David Yelldell, 81, Sonnenhof Großaspach
CM Mael Corboz, 94, Duisburg
CM Royal-Dominique Fennell, 89, Hallescher FC
AM Shawn Barry, 90, FSV Frankfurt
AM Jann George, 92, Jahn Regensburg
FW Marc Heider, 86, VfL Osnabrück
FW Robbie Kristo, 93, VfL Osnabrück
FW Mario Rodriguez, 94, Chemnitz (on loan from Dynamo Dresden)
Regionalliga
CB Ryan Malone, 92, Stuttgarter Kickers
LB Dallas Aminzadeh, 93, Oldenburg
AM Junior Ebot-Etchu, 96, VfB Lübeck
AM Devann Yao, 90, Berliner AK
FW Bryan Gaul, 89, Kickers Offenbach
FW Alassane Kane, 89, Bayern Hof
FW Charlie Rugg, 90, Pirmasens
FW Matt Taylor, 81, Kickers Offenbach
Guatemala
Primera
FW Edward Santeliz, 87, Malacateco
FW Jonathan Top, 93, Comunicaciones
Iceland
Úrvalsdeild
AM Dion Acoff, 91, Thróttur
FW Jose Seoane, 89, Fylkir
1. deild
GK Will Dieterich, 87, Haukar
AM Johnatan Lama, 93, Huginn
AM J.C. Mack, 88, Selfoss
MF Alex Ainscough, 95, Leiknir F.
FW Will Daniels, 90, Grindavik
Ireland
League of Ireland
GK Ciaran Nugent, 91, Sligo Rovers
CM Pat McCann, 90, Sligo Rovers
FW Don Cowan, 89, Longford Town
Israel
Premier League
FW Aaron Schoenfeld, 90, Hapoel Tel Aviv
Japan
J.2
GK Daniel Schmidt, 92, Matsumoto Yamaga (on loan from Vegalta Sendai)
Latvia
Virsliga
CB Papa Faly, 91, Daugavpils
Luxembourg
MF Martin Ontiveros, 91, Jeunesse Esch
Mexico
Liga MX
GK Bernabé Magaña, 93, Pumas
GK William Yarbrough, 89, León
CB Ventura Alvarado, 92, América
CB Omar Gonzalez, 88, Pachuca
CB Michael Orozco, 86, Tijuana
LB Jonathan Bornstein, 84, Querétaro
LB Edgar Castillo, 86, Monterrey
LB Greg Garza, 91, Tijuana
LB Jorge Villafaña, 89, Santos Laguna
CM Jose Torres, 87, Tigres
CM Marco Vidal, 86, Veracruz
AM Paul Arriola, 95, Tijuana
AM Luis Gil, 93, Querétaro
AM Miguel Ibarra, 90, León
AM Sebastian Saucedo, 97, Veracruz (on loan from Real Salt Lake)
AM Luis Silva, 88, Tigres
FW Amando Moreno, 95, Tijuana
Ascenso MX
LB Juan Pablo Ocegueda, 93, Alebrijes de Oaxaca (on loan from Tigres)
LB Josue Soto, 95, Cimarrones de Sonora (on loan from Querétaro)
DF Cristian Cruz, 95, Loros de Colima (on loan from Morelia)
CM Fernando Arce, Jr., 96, Dorados (on loan from Tijuana)
CM Joe Corona, 90, Dorados (on loan from Tijuana)
CM Alejandro Guido, 94, Tijuana
CM Kevin Huezo, 91, Murciélagos
AM Rodrigo Lopez, 87, Celaya
AM Jesus Vazquez, 94, Universidad de Guadalajara
MF Emanuel Guzman, 86, Venados
MF Josue Soto, 87, Jaro
FW Julio Morales, 93, Loros de Colima (on loan from Chivas)
Netherlands
Eredivisie
RB Desevio Payne, 95, Groningen
CB Matt Miazga, 95, Vitesse (on loan from Chelsea)
FW Rubio Rubin, 96, Utrecht
Eerste Divisie
CB Shane O'Neill, 93, NAC Breda (on loan from Apollon Limassol)
Norway
Eliteserien
GK Ethan Horvath, 95, Molde
GK Alex Horwath, 87, Brann
CB Alex DeJohn, 91, Start
CM Cole Grossman, 89, Stabæk
AM Josh Gatt, 91, Molde
FW Ben Spencer, 95, Molde
Poland
I Liga
CB Hunter Gorskie, 91, Miedź Legnica
Portugal
Segunda
CM Keaton Parks, 97, Varzim
Scotland
Premiership
CM Perry Kitchen, 92, Heart of Midlothian
FW Bjørn Johnsen, 91, Heart of Midlothian
Spain
Segunda B
GK Benjamin Machini, 96, Barakaldo (on loan from Mallorca)
Sweden
Allsvenskan
GK Matt Pyzdrowski, 86, Helsingborg
CB Brendan Hines-Ike, 94, Örebro
FW Emil Bellander, 94, Gefle
FW Andy Stadler, 88, Östersunds
Superettan
GK Josh Wicks, 83, AFC United
CB Patrick Hopkins, 87, Sirius
MF Paul Torres, 91, Assyriska
FW Tristan Bowen, 91, AFC United
Switzerland
Super League
CM Caleb Stanko, 93, Vaduz (on loan from Freiburg)
Youth & Reserves
Argentina
Primera
MF Adam Ozeri, 98, Banfield
Belarus
Premier League
FW Philip Atbashyan, 97, BATE Borisov II
Croatia
Prva HNL
MF Zach Kobayashi, 97, Dinamo Zagreb U-19
England
Premier League
GK Brandon Austin, 99, Tottenham Hotspur U-18
RB Matthew Olosunde, 98, Manchester United U-21
CB Danny Barbir, 98, West Bromwich Albion U-21
CB Kyle Gruno, 99, Leicester City U-18
LB Antonee Robinson, 97, Everton U-21
CM Kyle Scott, 97, Chelsea U-21
CM Gedion Zelalem, 97, Arsenal U-21
AM Brooks Lennon, 97, Liverpool U-21
Championship
GK Gabe Rosario, 99, Reading U-18
RB Marlon Fossey, 98, Fulham U-21
CB Callum Stretch, 99, Aston Villa U-18
CM James Murphy, 97, Sheffield Wednesday U-21
AM Luca de la Torre, 98, Fulham U-21
AM Anthony Wright, 97, Nottingham Forest U-18
FW Andrija Novakovich, 96, Reading U-21
France
Ligue 1
FW Timothy Weah, 00, Paris Saint Germain U-17
Ligue 2
RB Kyle Duncan, 97, Valenciennes B
MF Nicholas Pergjini, 99, Troyes U-17
Championnat National
FW Dylan Romney, 96, Paris FC
Germany
Bundesliga
GK Will Pulisic, 98, Borussia Dortmund U-19
RB Ken Gipson, 96, RB Leipzig II
RB Ashton Götz, 93, Hamburg II
CB J.J. Foe Nuphaus, 00, Hoffenheim U-17
CM Sidney Friede, 98, Hertha Berlin U-19
CM Weston McKennie, 98, Schalke U-19
AM Junior Flores, 96, Borussia Dortmund II
AM McKinze Gaines, 98, Wolfsburg U-19
AM Joseph Gyau, 92, Borussia Dortmund II
FW Jalen Hawkins, 01, Bayern Munich U-16
FW Timothy Tillmann, 99, Bayern Munich U-19
FW Haji Wright, 98, Schalke U-19
2.Bundesliga
GK Justin Vom Steeg, 97, Fortuna Düsseldorf II
RB Corey Anton, 99, Kaiserslautern U-19
RB Toni Suddoth, 98, Stuttgart U-19
CB Demarveay Sheron, 97, Karlsruhe II
DF Lyonel Hyer, 99, Hannover U-19
CM Alec Becker, 98, Freiburg U-19
CM Omar Castro, 96, Eintracht Braunschweig II
CM Darian Gurley, 98, Karlsruhe U-19
CM Justin Kinjo, 97, Fortuna Düsseldorf II
CM Eric Lickert, 95, Freiburg II
AM Kevin Lankford, 98, Heidenheim U-19
MF Mevlan Lebiti, 98, Kaiserslautern U-19
FW Kevin Coleman, 98, Kaiserslautern U-19
Italy
Serie A
AM Josh Perez, 98, Fiorentina (Primavera)
MF Paolo Belloni, 99, Genoa U-17
Serie B
CM Armando Guarnera, 97, Avellino (Primavera)
Mexico
Liga MX
GK Benny Diaz, 98, Querétaro (U-20)
GK Christian Herrera, 97, Pachuca (Segunda), on loan from Real Salt Lake
GK Hector Holguin, 01, Santos Laguna (U-15)
GK Carlos Lopez, 96, Tijuana (U-20)
GK Justin Perez, 92, Monterrey (Segunda)
GK Estevan Vazquez, 96, Querétaro (Segunda)
GK Samuel Velazquez, 97, Tijuana (Segunda)
GK Luis Zamudio, 98, América (Segunda)
RB Luis Martir, 95, Chivas (Segunda)
CB Robert Castellanos, 98, Atlas (U-20)
CB Angel Uribe, 99, Tijuana (U-20)
LB John Requejo, Jr., 96, Tijuana (U-20)
LB Jesus Vazquez, 95, Santos Laguna (Segunda)
DF Jose Adame, 00, Atlas (U-17)
DF Guillermo Bermudez, 97, Tijuana (U-20)
DF Adair Casas, 97, Morelia (U-20)
DF Carlo Chavez, 97, Tijuana (U-20)
DF Alberto Diaz, 00, Necaxa (U-17)
DF Jonathan Esparza, 99, Tijuana (U-17)
DF Sergio Gonzalez, 99, Tijuana (U-17)
DF Brian Herrera, 00, Puebla (U-17)
DF Jesus Madrigal, 01, Necaxa (U-15)
DF Juan Monticelli, 97, Tijuana (Segunda)
DF Diego Nunez, 00, Tijuana (U-17)
DF Hector Ortega, 96, Cruz Azul (U-20)
DF Joseph Perez, 97, Puebla (U-20)
DF Victor Reyes, 96, Querétaro (Segunda)
AM Sergio Buenrostro, 94, Querétaro (Segunda)
AM Dennis Flores, 93, León (Segunda)
AM Jonathan Suarez, 97, Querétaro (U-20)
AM Alejandro Zendejas, 98, Chivas (U-20)
MF Juan Albisar, 98, Querétaro (U-20)
MF Luis Barrera, 00, Monterrey (U-17)
MF Marcos Carrasco, 99, Morelia (U-17)
MF Alexis de la Rosa, 96, Santos Laguna (Segunda)
MF Jose Elias, 96, Santos Laguna (U-20)
MF Ernesto Espinoza, 99, Tijuana (U-17)
MF Orlando Garcia, 00, Monterrey (U-17)
MF Irvin Gijon, 94, Morelia (Segunda)
MF Giansebastian Goicochea, 97, Atlas (U-20)
MF Jonathan Gonzalez, 99, Monterrey (U-20)
MF Leonardo Marquez, 99, León (U-17)
MF Antonio Nava, 99,Tijuana (U-17)
MF Ernest Nungaray, 92, Morelia (Segunda)
MF Fabian Partida, 00, Guadalajara (Tercera)
MF Alex Ramos, 95, León (Segunda)
MF Brayan Ramos, 00, Necaxa (U-17)
MF Jacobo Reyes, 00, Monterrey (U-17)
MF Pedro Santos, 99, Querétaro (U-17)
MF Steve Solis, 01, Morelia (U-15)
FW Kevin Cerda, 96, Puebla (Segunda)
FW Jesus Enriquez, 97, Tijuana (U-20)
FW Carlos Flores, 98, Santos Laguna (U-20)
FW Andy Garcia, 95, Toluca (Segunda)
FW Joaquin Hernandez, 94, Monterrey (Segunda)
FW Benji Lopez, 95, Santos Laguna (Segunda)
FW Manuel Lopez, 00, Santos Laguna (U-17)
FW Miguel Padron, 96, Tijuana (Segunda)
FW Osvaldo Ramirez, 97, Jaguares de Chiapas (U-20)
FW Brandon Vazquez, 98, Tijuana (U-20)
FW Ricardo Zacarias, 95, América (Segunda)
Netherlands
Eredivisie
CB Kik Pierie, 00, Heerenveen
LB John Hilton, 01, Ajax
FW Kai Koreniuk, 98, Jong Vitesse
Portugal
Primeira
GK C.J. dos Santos, 00, Benfica
RB Ethan Lotenero, 98, Belenenses B
CB Erik Palmer-Brown, 97, Porto B
Russia
Premier League
MF Valeri Saramutin, 95, Dynamo Moscow II
Spain
Primera
GK Markos Iturbe, 99, Athletic Bilbao
RB Shaq Moore, 96, Levante B
AM Mukwelle Akale, 97, Villarreal C
MF Ander Egiluz, 98, Athletic Bilbao
FW Konrad de la Fuente, 01, Barcelona
FW Nicolas Garcia-Morillo, 00, Atlético Madrid
FW Emmanuel Sabbi, 97, Las Palmas B
Sweden
Allsvenskan
RB Christopher McVey, 97, Elfsborg U-19
FW Nebiyou Perry, 99, AIK U-19