US Under-20 national team head coach Tab Ramos called in six current MLS players and 20 more with MLS academy connections to form the bulk of a 35-man camp in Miami to start the new year.
The U-20s, who begin preparations for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, will play a total of four matches during the camp: two on Jan. 8 (vs. local sides CASA and Weston FC) and another two on Jan. 12, with all matches held at Barry University.
The six first-team professionals are Coy Craft and Alex Zendejas from FC Dallas, Tommy Redding and Mason Stajduhar from Orlando City, Danilo Acosta from Real Salt Lake and Victor Mansaray from the Seattle Sounders.
Juan 'Charly' Flores, recently signed from the Houston Dynamo's academy to their new USL affiliate, RGV FC Toros, was also called up.
Call-ups with MLS academy ties include both players currently in college and those still competing primarily with their academy clubs. D.C. United, the New York Red Bulls, the Philadelphia Union and Real Salt Lake led the way with three each. The Chicago Fire, LA Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes each had two players selected, while the FC Dallas academy had one.
Also of note is the inclusion of goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann, son of USMNT manager and technical director Jurgen Klinsmann. He joins the only two foreign-based call-ups in
Josh Doughty (Manchester United, former Real Salt Lake academy player)
and Josh Perez (Fiorentina).
UPDATE: Josh Doughty will not join the camp, per US Soccer; no replacement has been named at this time.
USA Under-20 Roster (January 2016 camp):
Goalkeepers (4): Jonathan Klinsmann (Cal), JT Marcinkowski (Georgetown, San Jose Earthquakes Academy), Mason Stajduhar (Orlando City), Justin Vom Steeg (UCSB)
Defenders (12):Danilo Acosta (Real Salt Lake), Hugo Arellano (LA Galaxy Academy), Jonathan Bell (D.C. United), Marcello Borges (Michigan, New York Red Bulls Academy), David Burns (Sacramento Republic), Aaron Herrera (New Mexico, Real Salt Lake Academy), Malcolm Jones (UCLA, LA Galaxy Academy), Andrew Lombard (Northeastern, New York Red Bulls Academy), Mauricio Pineda (Chicago Fire Academy), Tommy Redding (Orlando City), Miles Robinson (Syracuse), Diego Silva (Maryland, Real Salt Lake Academy)
Midfielders (10): Amir Bashti (Stanford, San Jose Earthquakes Academy), Cam Lindley (Indiana Fire Academy, a Chicago Fire affiliate), Lucas Mendes (D.C. United Academy), Matt Olosunde (New York Red Bulls Academy), Martin Salas (North Carolina, FC Dallas Academy), Yosef Samuel (Philadelphia Union), Evan Waldrep (Creighton, Real Salt Lake Academy), Eryk Williamson (Maryland, D.C. United Academy), Jackson Yueill (UCLA), Alex Zendejas (FC Dallas)
Forwards (9):Coy Craft (FC Dallas), Jeremy Ebobisse (Duke), Sebastian Elney (Maryland, Philadelphia Union Academy), Juan Flores (RGV FC Toros, a Houston Dynamo affiliate), Victor Mansaray (Seattle Sounders), Josh Perez (Fiorentina), Emmanuel Sabbi (Chicago Magic), Abu Winter (Philadelphia Union), Isaiah Young (PDA)
