U.S. national team squad for January camp features 15 uncapped players

Caretaker U.S. national team coach Dave Sarachan is taking a closer look at the younger options in the national team player pool, with 21 players age 24 or younger filling out the 30-man squad for the camp ahead of the Jan. 28 friendly against Bosnia.

LA Galaxy midfielder Gyasi Zardes is the most-capped player in the 30-man squad with his 37 appearances, while half of the players called in will be hoping to earn their first national team cap.

Bil Hamid leads a new contingent of goalkeepers looking to take the reins for long-standing U.S. goalkeepers Tim Howard and Brad Guzan, with MLS Cup winner Alex Bono (Toronto FC) and Columbus Crew standout Zack Steffen earning calls after outstanding seasons.

Hamid is one of just two players in the camp who isn't currently in MLS. Former U.S. Under-20 national team standout Rubio Rubin is also in the camp, though the forward is currently unattached and believed to be considering an offer from MLS.

New York Red Bulls midfielder Tyler Adams leads a contingent of players who were part of the U.S. Under-20 World Cup squad that reached the quarterfinals of that competition, a group that includes the Real Salt Lake trio of Justen Glad, Danny Acosta and Brooks Lennon.

Conspicuous by their absence from the squad are FC Dallas standouts Jesse Gonzalez, Matt Hedges and Kellyn Acosta. Sources tell Goal that FC Dallas turned down U.S. Soccer's request for them to participate due to the team's preparations ahead of the CONCACAF Champions League knockout round. FC Dallas is the only one of the five MLS teams participating in the Champions League to reject call-ups for the U.S. camp, with representatives from the other four teams having been included in the U.S. squad.

The U.S. team has convened in Carson, California and kicked off camp on Monday, training at StubHub Center for the next three weeks ahead of the friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina on January 28.

“We’re excited about our 2018 January Camp roster," Sarachan said. "It’s all about the future and opportunity. Twenty-one of these players are 24 and younger so we’re excited about that, and we clearly feel that we want to have a look at these players that have the chance to be a part of the national team for a number of years to come. We think the balance was good and obviously we’re trying to bring in players that are coming off good seasons, are at a good age for the future, and to give the opportunity to those that have earned that right to be a part of the program.”

Here is the full squad:

GOALKEEPERS: Alex Bono (Toronto FC/CAN; 0/0), Bill Hamid (Midtjylland/DEN; 4/0), Cody Cropper (New England Revolution; 0/0), Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC; 0/0)

DEFENDERS: Danny Acosta (Real Salt Lake; 0/0), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake; 0/0), Nick Lima (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0), Justin Morrow (Toronto FC/CAN; 3/0), Ike Opara (Sporting Kansas City; 0/0), Tim Parker (Vancouver Whitecaps FC/CAN; 0/0), Matt Polster (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Brandon Vincent (Chicago Fire; 1/0), Walker Zimmerman (Los Angeles Football Club; 1/0)

MIDFIELDERS: Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; 1/0), Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 15/2), Russell Canouse (D.C. United; 0/0), Marky Delgado (Toronto FC/CAN; 0/0), Marlon Hairston (Colorado Rapids; 0/0), Ian Harkes (D.C. United; 0/0), Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake; 0/0), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 1/0), Kelyn Rowe (New England Revolution; 3/1), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 2/0), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy; 37/6)

FORWARDS: Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution; 27/3), Dom Dwyer (Orlando City SC; 4/2), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 24/5), Christian Ramirez (Minnesota United FC; 0/0), Rubio Rubin (Unattached; 4/0), C.J. Sapong (Philadelphia Union; 3/0)