Folarin Balogun's debut, Gio Reyna in the midfield and main storylines to follow as the USMNT goes for Nations League glory

We'll get the obvious one out of the way. It is all anyone will be talking about, after all.

Balogun is officially with the USMNT, although it remains to be seen if he is officially the USMNT's starting No. 9. The man himself said he wasn't expected to be handed the top spot, even if most believe he will be heading into his first matches with the national team.

Balogun is one of two strikers in the squad, with Ricardo Pepi also included. Like Balogun, Pepi is coming off a career-altering loan season, having hit double figures for a bad Groningen team. If not for Balogun, Pepi would certainly be the starter, and would be more than worthy of the role.

But this is Balogun's time, right? What better game to make a debut in than a semifinal against Mexico? What better way to introduce yourself to the U.S. than by scoring in a big tournament on home soil?

Will Balogun get that chance? We'll have to say, but it's a safe bet to say he'll have a big part to play over the next two games.

Gio Reyna is once again listed in midfield and, with Tyler Adams still out of action, could we see him start there once again?

The Borussia Dortmund star played centrally during the last round of Nations League matches, although he was relatively ineffective in the role. Still, the No. 10 spot looks like it could be the best way to get the most talent on the field given the wealth of options on the wing.

That applies even more this week with Adams out and no true replacement for him in the squad. There isn't a player in the pool that can really do what Adams can do, which means it may make the most sense to not even try.

Can the U.S. get away with a midfield trio of Reyna, Yunus Musah and Weston McKennie against Mexico? It's an interesting question. There isn't too much defensive strength in that trio, but they are certainly a group that would cause any team in this region some problems.

For Reyna, though, the important thing is getting on the field and putting in a good performance, no matter where he plays. He's coming off a tough six months, both for club and country, and could certainly use a bit of a pick-me-up before heading off for the summer.

It's been five years since a teenage Chris Richards first burst onto the scene with his move to Bayern Munich. He's had some big moments since then, playing 10 times for the Germany giants before moving to Crystal Palace in search of more playing time.

However, his 2022-23 campaign was derailed by an early-season injury, with Richards making just 10 appearances this season as he struggled with form and fitness. Now, though, at 23 years old, is it his time to take the leap?

The USMNT centerback pool is in an interesting spot at the moment, even with the ageless Tim Ream out of action. The safe move would be to start Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson, with that duo providing athleticism and experience against a tough Mexico team.

One other option, though, is Richards, a player that many saw as the USMNT's centerback of the future. It hasn't yet happened for him, unfortunately, but he's certainly still young.

The other option is Auston Trusty, who heads into camp fresh off a spectacular season on loan with Birmingham City. He earned his first cap earlier this year and looked solid enough. What part will he play in the centerback race going forward?

Callaghan has some tough choices to make, and he's already made some by excluding the likes of Mark McKenzie and John Brooks. He has good options in central defense, even with Ream out, and finding the right pairing may be key to winning this tournament.

It's safe to say that things have gotten worse since we last saw McKennie and Brenden Aaronson in a USMNT shirt.

Leeds were relegated from the Premier League, with McKennie, in particular, made a scapegoat for the club's failures. His time at the club is surely over, while Aaronson's future also remains uncertain as Leeds head to the Championship.

That is behind them, though. That was the Premier League; this is the Nations League. You have to have a short memory in this sport, and that'll be put to the test for the Leeds duo this week. Aaronson says his mind is not looking at the past or future, as he and his teammates are firmly focused on their time together in camp.

Once again, they won't have Adams next to them, which is a blow for the U.S., but both could have key parts to play. McKennie is expected to reclaim his starting midfield spot, while Aaronson seems more likely to remain an all-energy super sub.

The past few months have been a disaster for Sergino Dest. A total outcast at Milan, an appearance against Mexico in a recent friendly is all we've really seen of him since the last international window.

With that in mind, what kind of form can we expect from a player that's played so little since the World Cup?

Dest remains the USMNT's starter at right back, at least for now. His next move on the club level is vital, of course. After a wasted year in Milan, Dest needs to get it right.

In the immediate future, though, Dest will need to prove himself once again in a USMNT shirt. There are options, like Joe Scally, waiting in the wings to start in that right-back position. Dest's spot isn't as secure as it once was, for sure.

Does Callaghan stick with Dest, despite his lack of club minutes, or does he go with Scally, a player that has played regularly in the Bundesliga? It's an interesting dilemma and one of the big positional battles facing the U.S. right now.

Christian Pulisic has always described the national team as a sort of refuge, a place where he can reunite with longtime friends and take the focus away from whatever's happening on the club level, good or bad.

But, as he heads into these Nations League matches, there's something looming over it all: a likely transfer away from Chelsea.

Pulisic has been linked with a number of clubs, with some landing spots making more sense than others. It's a big summer for a player that remains the face of American soccer as this (potential) move will very much set the tone for the road to 2026. As things stand, Pulisic says he remains a Chelsea player, but we all know how quickly things can change in the transfer market.

He's not the only one up for a move this summer, of course, but he is the biggest name, and all eyes will be on him once again in these two games.

We've mentioned a few of them already, players like Balogun, Scally and Trusty. But they aren't the only newer faces that could be primed for a breakout in this window.

Taylor Booth has reportedly earned interest from Manchester United as he enters camp looking for his third USMNT cap. The 22-year-old Utrecht star is an interesting option in the attack, where his ability to cross the ball stood out last window.

Alejandro Zendejas is another player that has looked good in a USMNT shirt. The Club America star is perhaps the best equipped to challenge the incumbent starters for a spot on the wing, even if it would take a hell of a lot to unseat Pulisic and Tim Weah.

And then there are midfielder Johnny Cardoso and Alan Sonora, who could both benefit from Adams' absence. They're very different players, with Cardoso a No. 6 and Sonora more of a No. 8 or 10, but both could play key roles as starters or off the bench.

It's early in the cycle and, at this point, the U.S. is in the process of widening the player pool. Several of the names listed above could be key pieces by the time 2026 rolls around, with this window hopefully being another step forward for some of them before a new coach arrives.