The 2025-26 Premier League season starts on August 16, and with it comes club opportunities for several USMNT players firmly in contention for the 2026 World Cup squad. As it stands, there are five USMNT players on Premier League rosters for the start of the season. We’ll look at each of their situations in alphabetical order by club.
Bournemouth – Tyler Adams
Bournemouth is one of several mid-tier Premier League clubs wondering if things are starting to change in England’s topflight. They finished 9th last season, tied on 56 points with 10th-place Brentford but with a +12 goal difference to Brentford’s +9. The nine-point gap between 9th-place and qualifying for Europe in 6th might not seem as daunting as it was just a few seasons ago. Crystal Palace lifted the FA Cup last season, a team that finished three points and three places behind Bournemouth in the Premier League. Like Palace prior to that FA Cup win, Bournemouth has never won a major trophy. Neither have Brighton, Brentford, or Fulham. Those are all established Premier League teams that can’t help but look at the example Crystal Palace set. While navigating a cup competition isn’t the same as moving up the Premier League table, it’s still about ambition and expecting results even against the top-tier teams. Tyler Adams played in 28 league games last season with three assists. Underlining his importance in defensive midfield, he was only an unused sub for one game after returning from a back injury that caused him to miss the first seven games of the season. While Bournemouth has spent on defense in the summer transfer window, bringing in goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic from Chelsea for £25m and defender Adrian Truffert from Rennes for £14.4m, they’ve also sold several players. That list of players transferring out of the club is headlined by defender Dean Huijsen leaving for Real Madrid for £50m and defender Milos Kerkez moving to Liverpool for £40m.
Chelsea – Gabriel Slonina
Whether or not Gaga Slonina ends up on loan, Chelsea included him as part of its 2025 Club World Cup squad. That means Slonina became the first USMNT player to win that trophy, and at the earliest opportunity. It’s playing time that’s the issue for Slonina, unlikely to come at Chelsea, meaning he’s once again linked with loan moves. Slonina spent the first half of the 2024-25 season with Burnley, playing 11 games in League One before returning to Chelsea. Getting games is key, with Slonina last regularly playing a full season in 2023-24 on loan to KAS Eupen in the Jupiler League. It’s certainly worth the reminder that Slonina turned 21 in May, still a young talent looking for the right opportunity. As for Chelsea, they’re the newly-crowned world champs after finishing 4th in the Premier League and winning the UEFA Conference League. They’ll play Champions League soccer this season, doing what Premier League clubs tend to do by spending considerably. They’ve already bought nine new players, with the cheapest costing £12m. That list includes former Genk goalkeeper Mike Penders at £17m. At the other end of the scale, Chelsea paid Ajax £35.5 for defender Jorrel Hato, Borussia Dortmund £48.5m for winger Jamie Gittens, and Luton Town £55m for striker Joao Pedro.
Crystal Palace – Chris Richards
Trophies in South London? It now seems like it’s a regular occurrence, with Chris Richards part of a golden era at Crystal Palace. First was the 2024-25 FA Cup and now the 2025 FA Community Shield the week before the start of the Premier League season. Beating Liverpool on penalties for their latest piece of silverware certainly sends a message of intent for a squad drawing attention from bigger clubs willing to spend on transfers. As the FA Cup holders, Crystal Palace will be playing in Europe. After losing their appeal against UEFA’s decision over a joint ownership issue, that means the Conference League rather than the Europa. Palace hasn’t had to navigate Europe and the Premier League, so once again, this is a team looking to beat expectations. Richards is a big part of that, emerging as a regular who can do what is asked of him at the back and further up the formation.
Fulham – Antonee Robinson
There’s no underestimating Antonee Robinson, with his reputation as one of the best defenders in the Premier League now solidly established. Robinson is that player for Fulham, not just reliable but potentially game-changing. Seeing him linked with rumored moves to bigger clubs is no surprise, with the Premier League itself serving as a shopping mall for the elite in England’s topflight. Robinson has been out all summer after having knee surgery, but the expectation is when he returns he’ll pick up at his usual high level. Fulham finished 11th last season, two places higher than in 2023-24. With Crystal Palace showing last season that mid-tier teams can win trophies, there’s a new type of pressure on the clubs in the middle of the table to show that they can compete. What that means when considering the difference in transfer spending is a new version of an old question. There’s also the expected reemergence of other London clubs, with West Ham dropping five spots to 14th and Spurs finishing 17th last season but also winning the Europa League.
Leeds United – Brenden Aaronson
Leeds United won the Championship with Brenden Aaronson playing in 46 games and scoring nine goals in their promotion campaign. What that means for club and player at Premier League level is always the question for newly promoted clubs. Leeds has brought in players, signing several, including former Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri, defenders Jaka Bijol (Udinese), Sebastiaan Bornauw (Wolfsburg), and Gabriel Gudmundsson (Lille), and defensive midfielder Anton Stach from Hoffenheim. That’s the kind of defensive rebuild that shows Leeds’ understanding of the reality of the Premier League. A stingy defense is always an upside, but so is figuring out how to score goals at this level. Last season’s relegated clubs had goal differences of -47, -46, and -60. No other club in the league had a goal difference higher than -16. That’s a clear indication of the target for Leeds this Premier League season.
