Premier League clubs could soon target rising US talent, says the sporting director for The United Soccer League | Football News
The man in charge of player development in US soccer says the country’s vast untapped talent pool is now being recognized and he expects many more American stars to be signed to the Premier League and other major European leagues in the next few years.
The United Soccer League, which operates a notch below MLS, has just broken its transfer record by selling Kobi Henry to Ligue 1 club Stade de Reims.
USL athletic director Mark Cartwright said Sky sports news: “For our league as an emerging league it was a significant six figure transfer fee with the possibility of going into seven figures.
“And if he moves big again, there’s also the prospect of big selling fees. So that was huge. A record-breaking transfer fee.
“You will see that more and more of these players will move to Europe on a regular basis and have long careers there. And that’s the next step for the USL – for those players to make a difference in the Premier League, or the Bundesliga, or La Liga. They all want to play there.”
Cartwright is well known in English football having been technical director at Stoke City for seven years until 2019. He has been responsible for football development at USL for a little over a year.
How does Tampa, Florida compare to Stoke-on-Trent?
“Haha! It rains here, but it’s much warmer, that’s for sure! It’s been a journey,” he says with a grin.
“I’m trying to use the people I know in the UK and Europe and connect them to what’s going on here.
“The last six big transfers we made were all under 20 years old. Two went to big clubs in France, one to Real Sociedad, one to Denmark. And they got into those teams and they did a really good job – they played 40 games each or something.
“So other clubs in England and Europe are watching it because they’re all trying to uncover hidden gems.”
Cartwright also believes that after breaking the league’s transfer record multiple times in recent years, they will do so again very soon.
“I think we’ll do it again in a year. I really think we have the next Virgil van Dijk in our league,” he added.
“He’s 17, plays week after week, and he’s absolutely amazing – Josh Wynder, who plays for Louisville.”
In the last few days, Sky Sports News has learned that two of Portugal’s biggest clubs are interested in Wynder.
“I’ve spoken to some of the top teams in England and Europe about him and they’re watching him. And his club is inundated with calls,” says Cartwright.
“The talent pool here is incredible. Americans tend to breed athletic, agile players with great temperaments.
“It’s just that at 17, 18, 19 they understand the game so they can take the next step and play in Europe. All they see on TV now is the Premier League, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1 – they want to go and play in Europe.”