From Yunus Musah’s curious Atalanta loan to Patrick Agyemang exceeding expectations at Derby - Regrading the USMNT’s summer transfers

Ahead of the winter transfer window, GOAL reevaluates its grades for the biggest summer moves involving USMNT stars.

Transfers are made for a variety of reasons, often with patience built into the plan. A World Cup season, however, rarely allows for it.

With the 2026 World Cup looming, multiple U.S. men’s national team mainstays made significant summer transfer decisions. Some moved on loan in search of minutes. Others took major steps up the ladder in pursuit of a bigger stage. All came with risk — and all were made with the same prize in mind.

It's hard and harsh to judge these decisions after just a few months. In truth, it'll be hard to really gauge what they all meant until we see what names end up on Mauricio Pochettino's squad list next summer. However, as the winter window opens, we do have a pretty good idea of which USMNT stars have found transfer destinations that work and which have found destinations that certainly don't.

With that in mind, GOAL revisits its summer grades for every major deal involving USMNT players.

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Yunus Musah (Atalanta, on loan from AC Milan)
This has been pretty bad. When Musah moved on loan from Milan this summer, he did so with the understanding that he'd get more playing time at Atalanta. It hasn't happened that way. Just before leaving Milan, Musah played 90 minutes in Serie A for the Rossoneri. In the nearly four months since, he's played just 175 league minutes for Atalanta.
The one saving grace? 115 of those minutes have come in December. Perhaps Musah can use that as a springboard to a bigger role. There's also a chance that both Musah and Milan have had enough, though, and will end this experiment at some point in January. Whatever happens, the initial results of this have been bad enough to actively derail Musah's development, which is far from ideal for a young player in a World Cup year.
PREVIOUS GRADE: A
CURRENT GRADE: F

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Gio Reyna (Borussia Monchengladbach, $8.25M)
It started a little bit slowly, but realistically, it probably had to. Gladbach, from the start, wanted to take some time to build Reyna up. Now that they have, he seems close to resembling his best.
USMNT fans got a glimpse at that in November as he showed out in games against Paraguay and Uruguay. In the weeks since, he's had a more regular role for Gladbach, providing something of a creative spark to the midtable Bundesliga team. He's not been dominant, but this is a player who's still finding himself after effectively missing out on three years of development.
We'll have to see how this goes during the second half of the season, but Reyna has reason for optimism and, after so long with that not being the case, that feels nice.
PREVIOUS GRADE: B
CURRENT GRADE: B
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Paxten Aaronson (Colorado Rapids, $7M)
This move was ultimately made with the long-term in mind. That's the reality when you head to MLS midseason, particularly to a team that wasn't exactly in the playoff hunt.
Now, though, the Rapids are heading into a new era. A new coach, Matt Wells, is on the way, and he'll arrive with Aaronson positioned as one of his team's centerpieces. Just 22 years old, there's a lot of weight on Aaronson's shoulders, but he knew that when he opted to head back to Colorado.
The results weren't particularly great in those final weeks of the MLS season, with the Rapids missing the playoffs, but Aaronson won't be judged on those. It's all about how he'll fare in this upcoming season and, realistically, in the years to come.
PREVIOUS GRADE: C
CURRENT GRADE: C

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Tim Weah (Marseille, on loan from Juventus)
Weah's return to Ligue 1 has gone about as well as many would have expected. There were no real surprises involved with the move; Weah knew the league well and, over his last few seasons at Juventus, Weah had proven he was a quality player who could contribute at multiple positions.
That's what he's done this season, too. He's featured on the right and the left and at winger and wingback but, regardless of where he's been on the field, he's been a solid piece for Marseille. he has two goals and two assists, including one each in the Champions League, and he's played almost 1,300 minutes in all competitions for a team fighting at the top of Ligue 1. You can't ask for much more than that, can you?
PREVIOUS GRADE: B
CURRENT GRADE: A-
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Kristoffer Lund (FC Koln, on loan from Palermo)
Having fallen out of the USMNT picture over the last year or so, Lund joined FC Koln on loan in the Bundesliga. It was a clear step up from Palermo in Serie B, but would it be the right move to get him back into World Cup contention?
So far, the answer has been "no", but that's not because Lund hasn't done his part. He's played 878 minutes in the Bundesliga this season, including 10 starts, for a Koln team that's sitting in 11th. One of the things Lund needed to prove was that he could play at this higher level. That's happened. Does a USMNT recall come next? Only Pochettino knows, but Lund has certainly taken a step forward.
PREVIOUS GRADE: A-
CURRENT GRADE: B+
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Matt Turner (New England Revolution, on loan from Lyon)
Like Aaronson, this is one that's judged on something other than what we've seen thus far. Turner's big move to New England wasn't about 2025; it was about those first five or so months of 2026.
There was no mystery behind this move. Turner needed to play and the Revs offered him a place where he could do that. Initial returns were good, as Turner looked like his old self to finish the 2025 season. The big key, though, is to start the 2026 MLS campaign in a way that allows Turner to legitimately fight for a spot in the USMNT's World Cup squad.
If Turner does that, and all signs indicate that he will, then this will be remembered as a move that was exactly what the doctor ordered.
PREVIOUS GRADE: B+
CURRENT GRADE: B
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Johnny Cardoso (Atletico Madrid, $35M)
A tough one, at least so far. Injuries have prevented Cardoso from ever really getting going, which is a real bummer considering how exciting this move was.
It was easy to see the vision: Cardoso, a La Liga-proven midfielder, linking up with Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid. This would make him better and add steel to his game. It would also maybe cure whatever it is that has prevented him from ever really showing his true self in a USMNT shirt. That may still happen, but it hasn't yet because, again, fitness has been a real factor.
With only just under 200 league minutes under his belt, Cardoso needs more time on the field. Once that happens, we'll see what this really looks like.
PREVIOUS GRADE:A+
CURRENT GRADE: C
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Patrick Agyemang (Derby County, $8M)
When Agyemang made this move, the general consensus was that it was risky. That consensus wasn't wrong; it's just that Agyemang has shown that he's good enough to make that risk worth taking.
The former Charlotte FC forward has been fantastic, particularly in recent weeks. He's now up to nine goal contributions this season, the same amount as USMNT competitors Haji Wright and Josh Sargent. It took Agyemang a little time to overcome an early-season injury issue, but once he did, he had no problem finding his feet with Derby, and, more importantly, he's scoring consistently in the Championship.
PREVIOUS GRADE: C
CURRENT GRADE: A
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Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen, $41M)
Tillman had earned this move. He had proven all he needed to prove at PSV, and then, when tasked with being a focal point for the USMNT at the Gold Cup, Tillman proved himself there, too. It was no surprise a big club took a swing. It's also no surprise that Tillman hasn't shrunken from the challenge.
Tillman has been fantastic so far for his new club, scoring three goals in just over 800 Bundesliga minutes. He somehow has no assists so far this season, although that has a lot more to do with his team's finishing issues than his ability to create. Tillman has stepped right back into the highest levels of German soccer and shown that he can be a force, which is why the club paid so much to sign him to begin with.
The midfielder made the move because he believed he was up to the task, and all signs say he is.
PREVIOUS GRADE: A
CURRENT GRADE: A
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Damion Downs (Southampton, $9.5M)
After hitting double digits in the 2. Bundesliga, Downs opted to trade one second division for another. Instead of continuing on with FC Koln into the Bundesliga, he moved to England to sign for Southampton. It hasn't worked.
Following a bright start that included a goal in preseason, the actual league portion of this transfer has been a nightmare. Downs has yet to score for the club and hasn't even played since November. He's started just one of his 11 matches and played just 275 minutes across those appearances. After emerging as such a key force for Koln last summer, that's disappointing.
The only saving grace is that this was a move made with the long term in mind. Still just 21 years old, Downs still has plenty of time to get on track. The thing is, though, that Championship sides don't often wait for players to get on track before finding new ones. That's why there's so much pressure on players like Downs to figure it all out, and to figure it all out quickly.
PREVIOUS GRADE: B+
CURRENT GRADE: D-