Familiar faces, new places: Malik Tillman to Bayern Leverkusen, Johnny Cardoso to Atletico Madrid and key USMNT transfers

Malik Tillman was one of the best-performing American players last season, scoring 12 goals to help lead PSV to a thrilling come-from-behind title win - their second consecutive Eredivisie triumph. The midfielder's efforts last season didn't just earn PSV a trophy, though. They also earned him a huge transfer to Bayer Leverkusen.

Just more than a year removed from their own league triumph, Leverkusen went into this summer in rebuilding mode. Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, two pillars of their team, were off to Liverpool. Xabi Alonso, the managerial mastermind, was hired by Real Madrid.

Tillman was brought in as a key player to help usher in a new era, even if everyone has to understand he can't do it himself. With Leverkusen, Tillman will likely be given the keys, the ones left behind by Wirtz, as the club asks him to be a creative force.

It's a new challenge for a player who thrived in his last one, and success near the top of the Bundesliga would solidify Tillman as a World Cup starter for the USMNT.

After bouncing around England over the last few years, Matt Turner found himself as the subject of the most chaotic move of the summer. He signed with Lyon, who then decided they didn't really want him, and sought to nullify the deal. In the end, it resulted in a happy ending, and a return home.

Turner is back on loan with the Revs, where he began his career and, eventually, his USMNT breakout. He's already off to a hot start, having kept a clean sheet in his return to his local club. Clearly, this is a feel-good moment for Turner and one the goalkeeper desperately needed in order make a positive impression on USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino.

For Turner, this summer was all about finding a place to play consistently, as it was clear that doing so would define his push towards the World Cup. He did that, in the end, taking a roundabout route home.

Not just a familiar face in a new place, but a familiar name, too. Tim's Weah's father, the legendary George, ended his European run with a stop at Marseille, and now the USMNT winger will ply his trade at the club, as well.

He joined on an initial loan from Juventus, one with an obligation to buy, as he returns to Ligue 1 after previously featuring for both PSV and Lille. He'll be playing for a contender once again, too, as Marseille finished second last season to book a spot in the Champions League.

The winger is, of course, one of the most recognizable faces on the USMNT and, given the other wing options, is likely one of the most important, as well, as he begins this new chapter in a familiar league.

Johnny Cardoso didn't switch leagues, but he did move up the ladder, joining Atletico Madrid from Real Betis for a massive $35 million fee. It's a major move, one in which Cardoso joins a megaclub after proving himself as a legitimate La Liga midfielder during his year-and-a-half run in Betis.

There are big shoes to fill. With Rodrigo De Paul now in Miami, Atleti have turned to Cardoso as a midfield option and, while he's a different type of player, he'll now be tasked with playing the Atleti way. That is defined by passion, energy and effort. Based on what we've seen on the club level so far, Cardoso should be able to adapt to life under Diego Simeone.

It could also harden him for life under another Argentine, Pochettino, who will hope to get more out of Cardoso going forward than he did during an injury-impacted Gold Cup.

It's an incredible story, a true American soccer rags-to-riches tale. Just a few years ago, Patrick Agyemang was playing Division 3 college soccer. This summer, he commanded an $8 million transfer fee to play in England. Who would have thought?

The move to Derby doesn't complete Agyemang's rapid rise, but it is a major step. The decision to leave Charlotte FC was no doubt a hard one, but the allure of taking that next step in England's Championship was certainly strong. It's a big risk, but the reward could be massive, particularly in a World Cup year. 

Agyemang starts the season dealing with a minor injury, but, once he gets going, his adaptation to life in Europe will be one of the stories to watch in American soccer this season.

Agyemang isn't the only Gold Cup striker new to the Championship. Damion Downs is right there with him. Now at Southampton after a breakout season in the 2. Bundesliga with Koln, Downs made an instant impact in his debut last weekend, assisting on a late winner as Southampton defeated Wrexham.

It was good start for the young striker, who will look to build on his summer experience with the USMNT. Just 21, Downs still has a lot of development ahead. And he's now at a club, Southampton, that has generally been so good at helping players grow. Could Downs be next? The USMNT will hope so, even with all of the competition up top at the moment. 

One of the key veterans on last summer's Olympic team, 26-year-old midfielder Djordje Mihailovic was at the center of the big shock of the MLS transfer window.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Mihailovic left Colorado for Toronto, joining the Canadian side in a $9 million cash trade. That fee is the second-largest internal move in league history, bested only by Evander's move from the Portland Timbers to FC Cincinnati.

Mihailovic is seemingly out of the USMNT picture, having not played for the senior team since 2023. However, you can never write off anyone in a World Cup year, particularly a playmaker who has shown he can perform in MLS.

At the very least, the move shakes up the MLS landscape, as Toronto begin a rebuild while the Rapids begin a reset.