Bruce Arena on Thursday named his first roster since returning as US national team coach, selecting 32 MLS-based players for the team’s annual January camp. The camp will begin on Jan. 10 at StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Joining many of the familiar faces from former manager Jurgen Klinsmann’s tenure are seven uncapped players, as well as a handful of names returning from the international wilderness.
The seven newcomers include Vancouver Whitecaps starlet Kekuta Manneh, who has been living in the United States while playing for the Whitecaps in order to maintain his US residency and become eligible for the USMNT.
Manneh and Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei – another first-time call-up – are both in the process of completing their eligibility requirements to represent the United States, according to US Soccer. While that process is ongoing, they are clear to participate in the training camp.
In the meantime, Philadelphia Union duo Keegan Rosenberry and Chris Pontius will be in line to receive their first US caps when the US face Serbia in San Diego on Jan. 29 (4 pm ET; ESPN2, UniMás) and Jamaica in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Feb. 3 (7 pm ET; FS1, UniMás, UDN). The other uncapped players on the roster are left back Taylor Kemp (D.C. United), midfielder Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy) and center back Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas).
Arena will also be giving looks to a number of veteran faces including left back DaMarcus Beasley, 34, who will be looking to add to his 123 caps for the USMNT and potentially make a world record-tying fifth World Cup in 2018. Toronto FC forward Jozy Altidore is in line to become the 17th player to earn 100 caps for the United States, should he feature against either Serbia or Jamaica, while club teammate Michael Bradley is the roster’s caps leader with 126.
In addition to bringing over much of his coaching staff from the LA Galaxy, Arena has called up a pair of players from his former club: Lletget and USMNT regular Gyasi Zardes, who missed the last four months of 2016 with a broken foot.
A number of players who struggled to get a look under Klinsmann will get a shot to impress Arena in this camp. Sporting Kansas City midfielder Benny Feilhaber is perhaps the most notable name of this group, while New York Red Bulls midfielder Dax McCarty and FC Dallas defender Matt Hedges will also have their chance. Seattle Sounders center back Chad Marshall, who last took the field for the US in the 2010 January camp, is also back in the fold.
Portland Timbers midfielder Darlington Nagbe rejoins the US group after declining an call-up in the October international window and not receiving one in November.
Complete US national team roster for January 2017 camp:
GOALKEEPERS (5):David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
DEFENDERS (10): DaMarcus Beasley (Unattached), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Greg Garza (Atlanta United FC), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Taylor Kemp (D.C. United), Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC), Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
MIDFIELDERS (12):Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Jermaine Jones (Unattached), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Kekuta Manneh (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Chris Pontius (Philadelphia Union), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
FORWARDS (5):Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
