Emma Hayes is walking into a USWNT injury crisis: Alex Morgan, Jaedyn Shaw and Naomi Girma among star names facing races against time to prove Olympic fitness

Right now, despite her age, there may not be a more important USWNT player than Jaedyn Shaw. The 19-year-old performances have bordered on being unstoppable, and she profiles as perhaps the biggest game-changer for the U.S. when comparing their Olympic line up to that which failed at the Women's World Cup in 2023.

However, Shaw is currently dealing with an ankle injury suffered during the San Diego Wave's draw with Gotham FC. After a clash on a late-game corner kick, Shaw hobbled around for a bit before being subbed off in the game's final moments.

According to San Diego boss Casey Stoney, Shaw is "day-by-day at the minute, so we won’t know [until Friday’s game]". It's a good sign, for sure, considering we're still a little over two weeks away from USWNT camp. Shaw is a superstar in the making, and one that Hayes will be keen to work with the moment she gets into the job.

Unlike Shaw, it still feels like Alex Morgan is on the fringes of the Olympic squad. Her push for a roster spot has been one of the storylines to watch around the USWNT in 2024, but a recent injury is certainly impacting her chances.

Morgan has not played for the Wave in nearly a month due to an ankle injury. That injury has robbed her of key chances to impress Hayes, who will have to make several hard decisions in the attacking positions this summer.

The veteran striker proved at the Gold Cup that she still has a part to play when healthy, whether as a starter or a substitute. However, with rosters restricted to just 18, can Hayes afford to use a spot on Morgan?

The answer to that question would be easy if Morgan was healthy and scoring goals. Her absence, though, makes that decision that much harder, and it appears that it'll go on for at least a little while longer.

“Alex is still out,” said Stoney this week. “She’s been running. She’s been doing technical work this week. She’ll be available when she’s available.”

There was, however, finally some good news for both San Diego and the USWNT in recent days, as it was revealed that Naomi Girma is almost back from her own layoff. The defender is probably the first name on the USWNT team sheet right now, but she has missed the Wave's last three NWSL matches due to a thigh injury.

Both Girma and her centerback partner at club level, Abby Dahlkemper, have missed time in recent weeks, and while Girma's spot, when healthy, is a lock, Dahlkemper is currently pushing to play alongside her club teammate at the Olympics this summer.

Both are ready to go, though, for Friday's clash with Bay FC, per Stoney, which is great news for Hayes, who will have been sweating over Girma's fitness in particular. The defender has dealt with two muscle injuries in just a few months after pulling up with a hamstring issue during the SheBelieves Cup, and having her at her best will be key to the USWNT going for gold this summer.

If Girma is fit, it had been expected that she would be partnered by Tierna Davidson this summer, but the centerback is another player USWNT who is currently dealing with a thigh injury. Davidson has been out since late April after suffering her injury against the Washington Spirit, and has missed each of Gotham's last four games as a result.

Davidson missed out on last summer's World Cup due to an ACL injury, but has been solid since returning to action. She's made quite a case for herself as the second starting centerback, but Girma's SheBelieves Cup injury robbed Hayes of a chance to see that partnership in action.

The hope will be that Davidson recovers in time for the June friendlies so that she and Girma can get reps alongside one another. If not, Dahlkemper could get the leg up due to her club connection with Girma, especially if Hayes isn't keen on having a centerback duo learn on the fly.

We don't quite know how Hayes views the goalkeeper position, but it appears that Alyssa Naeher is going to stick around for one more tournament if healthy. Right now, that's a big 'if'.

The 36-year-old Chicago Red Stars shot-stopper left this past Sunday's clash with the Utah Royals in the 58th minute with an apparent leg injury. Naeher pulled out of a challenge and appeared to grab her left thigh in the moments afterward before being replaced by backup Mackenzie Wood.

Naeher has been the USNWT's shootout hero in both the Gold Cup and SheBelieves Cup in 2024, but there are plenty of goalkeepers pushing for the No.1 jersey. Casey Murphy and Jane Campbell were both in camp for the SheBelieves Cup, while Aubrey Kingsbury has also been in the mix. Could Naeher's injury open up the door for one of them?

One player who will definitely not be available for the Olympics is Mia Fishel. The Chelsea star tore her ACL on the eve of the Gold Cup in January, ending what should have been a breakout 2024 before it had even begun.

The striker was on pace to play a big role this summer, but that now won't happen because of her disastrous injury. Instead, we'll have to wait until 2025 to see what Fishel can bring to the table.

It's horrible, horrible luck for a player who still should be a USWNT contributor for years to come. For now, though, she'll be extremely frustrated to miss out on a major tournament.

It's not just those currently out injured that Hayes will be keeping her eyes on, but those who have recently returned. Rose Lavelle is only just getting back with Gotham FC, having missed the first few matches of the NWSL season. Mal Swanson and Catarina Macario, meanwhile, made their returns during the SheBelieves Cup and, while both are back in the swing of things, they're still battling back to the best versions of themselves after long-term injuries.

For the USWNT to be the best version of itself, they'll need their key players to be healthy. If a few are missing, Hayes' job is that much harder.