With the MLS Allocation Order set to start over fresh at season's end, it seemed a ripe time to check in on the 24 players who would be subject to that much-discussed process in the event of a move back to MLS.
Some of the players on that list left the league via transfer while others are US internationals that have never played in Major League Soccer, but each is busy writing his own story with a foreign club.
Juan Anangono
Current Club: LDU Quito (contract until June 2019)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from Chicago to Leones Negros for reported $2 million)
Following a couple of decent campaigns in the Mexican second flight, Anangono has returned home to be a supplementary scorer for now-struggling Ecuadorian giants LDU Quito. In July, he made the most of his first international cap in four years, notching a goal and a helper in Ecuador's 3-1 friendly win over Trinidad & Tobago.
Geoff Cameron
Current Club: Stoke City (contract until June 2020)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from Houston to Stoke City for reported $2 million)
The US handyman has been a mainstay since joining the Potters five summers ago. Cameron has averaged a hair over 30 starts across all competitions per term, with half of his appearances at right back. Over the last two seasons, though, he's mostly shuttled back and forth between center back and defensive midfield.
Fabian Castillo
Current Club: Trabzonspor (contract until June 2020)
Allocation List Classification:Transfer (from FC Dallas to Trabzonspor for reported $3 million)
The Colombian winger has thus far struggled to make his mark in the Turkish Super Lig. Castillo managed just three goals and two assists in 28 league matches last season. A knee injury has delayed his 2017/18 debut, but he did dress this past weekend.
Junior Flores
Current Club: Borussia Dortmund II (contract until June 2018)
Allocation List Classification:Youth USMNT
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder was a hot prospect a few seasons back, but now seems stalled on Dortmund's fourth division reserve side. He has been linked with loan moves to MLS several times over the past two years.
Giancarlo Gonzalez
Current Club: Bologna (contract until June 2020)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from Columbus to Palermo for reported $5 million)
The Costa Rican defender ably worked 85 total contests for Palermo before heading north to join the Rossoblu this past summer. It took Gonzalez a spell to settle in his new environs, but he has played every minute of Bologna's last three games.
Omar Gonzalez
Current Club:Pachuca
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from LA Galaxy to Pachuca)
The US center back has enjoyed plenty of playing time and champagne since making a run for the border early last year. After celebrating the 2016 Clausura crown, Gonzalez helped Los Tuzos raise the CONCACAF Champions League trophy for the fifth time back in April.
Julian Green
Current Club: VfB Stuttgart (contract until June 2019)
Allocation List Classification: Youth USMNT
Having been deemed a spare part by the Bundesliga risers, Green was sent on loan to second-tier Greuther Furth. The 22-year-old left winger has started four straight games, with an encouraging display in Sunday's loss at Nuremberg his best Shamrocks showing to date.
Doneil Henry
Current Club: West Ham United (contract until June 2018)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from Toronto FC to Apollon Limassol)
The Canada international has made just one first team appearance since joining the Hammers in the winter of 2015, and is currently recovering from an ACL tear suffered while on loan to Danish side AC Horsens.
Aron Johannsson
Current Club: Werder Bremen (contract until June 2019)
Allocation List Classification: Core Senior USMNT
Johannsson began each of his first two Bremen season well enough, before injuries tossed him on the shelf for months both times. Now, he has bizarrely become an afterthought on a relegation candidate that has managed just three goals in their first six games this season and is missing last year's top gun to an injury. Imagine me shrugging.
Fabian Johnson
Current Club: Borussia Monchengladbach (contract until June 2020)
Allocation List Classification:Core Senior USMNT
Our man FabJo was very solid indeed over his first two seasons with the Foals, but his play really dropped off last term. That slump has extended to the new campaign, with his first start coming in round six. And he was quite poor, so another one may have to wait for now.
Obafemi Martins
Current Club:Shanghai Greenland Shenhua (contract until December 2017)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from Seattle to Shanghai Greenland Shenhua for reported $2 million)
After scoring 15 goals across all competitions in his first campaign with the Chinese Super League side, Martins has hit for seven as a part-time starter this season. With clubs in China now limited to three foreign players per game, it seems doubtful that the 32-year-old striker will return next year.
Matt Miazga
Current Club: Chelsea (contract until June 2020)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from New York Red Bulls to Chelsea for reported $5 million)
Miazga only managed two Chelsea appearances before heading out on loan to work 29 Vitesse contests last season. The defender finished up the term by helping the club raise the KNVB Cup, the first title in their history. The Eredivisie side brought him back for another loan in August, and the 22-year-old has regained the starting job.
Andy Najar
Current Club: Anderlecht (contract until June 2020)
Allocation List Classification:Transfer (from D.C. United to Anderlecht for reported $3 million)
The Honduras international came to Belgium as a winger, but Anderlecht turned him into a right back last season. Now in fifth season with the Mauves, Najar has played 130 games (including 23 in Europe) and has won three Jupiler League titles. Injuries have limited his pitch time for the past year.
Kwadwo Poku
Current Club:Miami FC (contract until November 2017)
Allocation List Classification:Transfer (from NYCFC to Miami FC for reported $700K)
The Ghana attacker has chalked up 14 goals in 46 games since joining Miami FC last summer, including a big last-gasp Open Cup round-of-16 winner against Atlanta United in June. Despite his personal struggles during the current NASL Fall Championship, his team stands top of the table.
Christian Pulisic
Current Club: Borussia Dortmund (contract until June 2020)
Allocation List Classification: Core Senior USMNT
Though he's just turned 19, the Pennsylvania native has already notched 10 first-team goals. Last term, Pulisic became the first American to hit double figures in assists over a single European campaign, with his 12th teeing up the DfB-Pokal winner. He's quickly graduated to being a regular starter for Dortmund and one of the most important US players.
Tim Ream
Current Club:Fulham (contract until June 2019)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from New York Red Bulls to Bolton for reported $2.75 million)
The St. Louisian has worked 209 matches across all competitions for Bolton and Fulham since leaving New York in January of 2012. Ream has started 33 of the Cottagers' last 35 games, all but one as a center back.
Octavio Rivero
Current Club:Colo Colo (contract until June 2019)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from Vancouver to Colo Colo)
The 25-year-old has been a part-timer since joining the Chilean giants in July of last year. Rivero seemed to break out with five goals in a three-game span back in April, but he has been slow out of the blocks for the Primera Division runners-up this season.
Alain Rochat
Current Club: Lausanne (contract until June 2018)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from D.C. United to Young Boys Bern for reported $500K)
After leaving MLS, the 34-year-old played 94 games in four seasons with Young Boys. Rochat moved to Lausanne in July, and was immediately handed the captain's armband.
Oriol Rosell
Current Club: Sporting CP (contract until June 2019)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from Sporting KC to Sporting CP for reported $1.5 million)
The defensive midfielder enjoyed his best Sporting campaign in 2014/15, when he worked 17 games and celebrated a Taça de Portugal triumph. He's currently suiting up for Portimonense, his third loan side in as many years.
Rubio Rubin
Current Club: Stabaek (contract until December 2017)
Allocation List Classification: Youth USMNT
The US attacker has struggled to carve out regular playing time after an excellent start to his FC Utrecht time was derailed by injuries. Rubin never really caught on in a half-season with Denmark's Silkeborg, and is now climbing up the rotation at Stabaek.
Camilo Sanvezzo
Current Club:Queretaro (contract until December 2019)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from Vancouver to Queretaro for reported multi-million dollar fee)
Aside from a seven-month layoff due to a late 2014 knee injury, Camilo has been a valuable cog for the Queretaro attack. Though he's currently experiencing a mini-slump, the Brazilian has fired 31 goals in 65 league matches for the White Roosters.
Jose Adolfo Valencia
Current Club: Feirense (contract until June 2020)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from Portland to Rosario Central)
The 25-year-old is on his fifth club since leaving Portland in 2014. Valencia joined the Portuguese top flight middlers this summer, and started both of their wins on the young season.
Jorge Villafana
Current Club:Santos Laguna (contract until December 2019)
Allocation List Classification:Transfer (from Portland to Santos Laguna for reported $1 million)
The original Sueno MLS winner followed a 2015 MLS Cup triumph by taking his solid left back game to Santos Laguna. Though Villafana has often seen his starting place given away after going on USMNT duty, he has repeatedly won it back.
DeAndre Yedlin
Current Club: Newcastle (contract until June 2021)
Allocation List Classification: Transfer (from Seattle to Tottenham for reported $4 million)
Though he was never able to break through with Spurs, Yedlin enjoyed a solid EPL loan stint with a bad Sunderland team before moving to their arch rivals prior to last season. The Sounders product then shined as Newcastle earned promotion by winning the Championship crown. His 2017/18 season started slowly because of a hamstring injury, but he's now reclaimed the starting right back job.
