USMNT summer transfer grades: From Weston McKennie and Mark McKenzie to Matt Turner and Gio Reyna, who got it right?

The former FC Dallas midfielder earned a big move to Lyon with his play for both Venezia and the U.S. U23 squad, and this is exactly the type of transfer that could result in an improved standing in the USMNT midfield picture.

Lyon is a big club, and they clearly believe that Tessmann is a player who can contribute, present and future. He pulled all the strings with the U23s this past summer, but Ligue 1 is a different caliber of test. If he passes that, the other USMNT midfielders will be put on notice.

GRADE: A

Mark McKenzie had gotten all he could out of Genk, so Ligue 1 is a logical step up. This move to Toulouse could turn out to be a valuable proving ground for McKenzie, who is looking to go from fringe player to USMNT regular. There were some other major teams listed, but Toulouse seems like exactly the right-sized step.

All indications are that he'll start, which is always the first thing to look at when a player moves up the sports' hierarchy. Now, it's up to McKenzie to get better and, ultimately, perform. If successful, he'll improve his USMNT stock.

GRADE: A

After his catastrophic ACL injury, it seemed as if Sergino Dest could be left in limbo this summer. He was only on loan at PSV and, with a long recovery time ahead of him, his future was uncertain.

PSV showed commitment, though. Despite the injury, they made a move to permanently sign Dest from Barcelona, keeping him with the team. It shows just how much they value the USMNT right-back. The fact that they're willing to pay and wait speaks volumes.

We'll see how Dest looks when he's healthy, but he's clearly at a club that values him, which is all a player can really ask for.

GRADE: A

Compared to Dest, this was more of a no-brainer for PSV. Malik Tillman put up double-digit assists to know with nine goals. Any team would love that level of production from a 22-year-old rising star. Given the opportunity to sign him permanently, they had to take it.

Realistically, Tillman probably won't be at PSV forever. He's going to develop and someone will snap him up. For now, though, it's the perfect club for him to continue to develop before an inevitable move elsewhere.

GRADE: A

Aidan Morris and the Crew conquered MLS and, if the midfielder had stayed in Wifried Nancy's team, they might have done so again. Heck, they still might, even without Morris.

The midfielder was due for a new challenge, though, and Middlesbrough is a good one.

He's already become something of a fan favorite for the Championship side, taking just a few games to establish himself in Europe. It's come easy to Morris so far, but undoubtedly there will be hiccups. Starting hot gives those around you the grace to let you make them, though, so this is all good for Morris.

GRADE: A

There's nothing better than going home, and that's what Brooks is doing by returning to Hertha Berlin. He was raised at the club as an academy product, spending five seasons with the first team. Now, after stops at Wolfsburg, Benfica and Hoffenheim, he's back to help try and lead them back to the Bundesliga.

When it comes to the USMNT, it feels like that ship has sailed, so good for Brooks choosing to return to a club that means something to him.

Grade: A

Despite his age, Tim Ream is still a very good defender, one that has proven capable of playing at a high level. That makes this transfer a huge win for Charlotte FC, who brought in a key defensive leader to elevate their team in MLS.

As for Ream, it was time to move back to MLS and enjoy the final years of his career. At Charlotte, he'll play in a team with real ambitions to compete at the top of the league, which could keep him in the USMNT for a bit longer during the expected Pochettino transition.

GRADE: B+

Weston McKennie staying at Juventus was almost unfathomable a month ago. He'd been left out of preseason and the rumors were flying. His exit appeared imminent. It didn't happen, though. Instead, he got a new contract to stay.

For any other player, this would make zero sense but, for McKennie, it's actually sensible. He's fought to prove himself before - as recently as last year. Just 12 months ago, McKennie was in the exact same scenario and, by the end of the season, he was a key starter for Juve.

Now with a new contract in hand, that path is open once again. He hasn't started yet this season but there's time, and McKennie has already shown how much progress he can make with both time and a chance.

GRADE: B

Auston Trusty's move to Celtic is an interesting one, depending on whether you're an optimist or a pessimist.

The optimist would label this is a step forward. Celtic is a massive club, one that plays in the Champions League every season - and the Champions League is the world's best shop window. If you can prove yourself there, other clubs will come knocking.

The pessimist has a point too, though. The Scottish league isn't the highest caliber. Trusty just played an entire Premier League season and is a proven commodity in the Championship, a league better than the one he's now joining. There are only a few league games each season that make Celtic sweat. For a defender, does that really help you get better?

We'll see which way this turns out for Trusty, who will hope to use this move to earn more USMNT minutes. Cameron Carter-Vickers has always been in the national team mix while playing at Celtic, so maybe this does give Trusty an improved chance, especially if those two play next to one another. Either way, file this under wait and see.

Grade: B

Despite reported interest from Atalanta, Besiktas and Galatasaray, the American defender opted to stay at Celtic. The decision, surely, was a difficult one. At 26, Carter-Vickers is at the right age to make his big move, but you can't fault him for looking at the list of suitors and thinking it was worth waiting for the right move.

He knows he's in a good situation at Celtic, one where he'll be a key player and get Champions League minutes. Maybe he can revisit in January or next summer but, for now, Carter-Vickers' decision to stay is fine for his career. The arrival of Auston Trusty is a potential plus, too, as that duo could turn into a legitimate pairing for the USMNT.

GRADE: B

Not a transfer, but a return. It was a risky one, too. After bad seasons at both Leeds and Union Berlin, Brenden Aaronson's confidence had to be low. Returning to a club such as Leeds could go bad quickly.

So far, it hasn't gone that way, though. Aaronson has been fantastic to start the season, scoring two goals in the first few weeks of the Championship. If this is how he continues, then this will all be fantastic. The key for Aaronson is rebuilding confidence and, if he can do that at Leeds, he'll prove a lot of doubters wrong.

GRADE: B

There was some initial concern with this move. League One is lower in caliber than MLS, where Gabriel Slonina started with the Chicago Fire. For Slonina, though, right now isn't about level; it's about experience.

He'll play at Barnsley and, if you know anything about England's lower leagues, he'll play a lot. At just 20, he really just needs reps and, if he can get them in League One, so be it. A higher-quality move may come in a year or two but, for now, Slonina just needs to get games under his belt.

GRADE: B

He somehow fell... upward? Turner went from Nottingham Forest's No. 3 goalkeeper to Crystal Palace's No. 2, which isn't ideal but is better than where he started.

With this a one-year loan at Palace, there is a slightly better pathway for Turner to play. Dean Henderson is the starter but one injury or bad run of form could open up the door Turner needs to redeem himself. His time in the Premier League hasn't gone to plan and this is almost certainly his last real opportunity.

It may take time to get that chance, but it's at least possible now. He was never going to play at Nottingham Forest and, while it would have been great to see him start somewhere else, this is an improvement.

GRADE: B-

In the end, he stayed. We'll see how that plays out, but this is a career-altering call from Reyna, who is determined to fight for his spot in the Dortmund team.

The fact of the matter is this: Reyna's career is at a tipping point, and he needs to play. He hasn't played close to enough over the last few years, stunting his development quite a bit. The loan to Nottingham Forest failed, which made this summer a major turning point for Reyna.

To start the season, there isn't much reason for optimism. Reyna has played less-than sparingly in these first few weeks and there's still a logjam of players in front of him on the Dortmund depth chart. He has three months to leapfrog one or more of those players or else he'll be right back here in January.

GRADE: C

So we have to break this down into two parts.

First, the Chelsea part: a big risk. We all know what Chelsea are doing. It's going to be very easy for Wiley to get lost in the shuffle at Stamford Bridge. You can ask Matt Miazga about that - and Chelsea weren't nearly as bad when he was there as they are now

Now, the Strasbourg part, which is much better. Wiley is still a raw prospect, but it seems as if he's more than ready to tackle Ligue 1 based on his first few weeks. If he keeps playing, then everything could turn out well. But it's possible he will end up back having to sort out another loan to move away from Chelsea.

Grade: C

What in the name of MLS is going on here?

As part of Giovani Lo Celso's move from Tottenham to Real Betis, Spurs have reportedly added a clause that would allow them to purchase Johnny Cardoso for a fixed price down the line. It is a weird one, to put it lightly, but, hey, it could end with Cardoso playing for a Premier League giant.

We'll have to see how this goes but it's certainly interesting, right?

GRADE: Incomplete