Roster hits due to the upcoming Gold Cup are set to take its toll on MLS rosters, with an expected large number of players from the league being called up to the United States national team as well as the selections from Jamaica, Canada and a number of other nations.
In fact, MLS is set to send the most players to the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, and the United States national team is poised to lead the way in this regard. And with 23-man rosters set to be announced on Wednesday (provisional rosters came out earlier this month), teams will have to start preparing for losing impact players for the next several weeks.
Sources tell ‘MLS Multiplex’ that defender Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC) and goalkeeper Matt Turner (New England Revolution) will be called up to the United States national team. Turner has been one of the top goalkeepers in MLS the past two seasons and Zimmerman has a shot to make an impact in World Cup qualifying this fall with a good summer tournament.
In addition, the Canadian national team is, not surprisingly, is calling up Toronto FC’s Richie Laryea as well as Ayo Akinola per a source. A name to keep an eye on in MLS down the road currently plays for a USL side as Haiti is calling up François Dulysse of the New England Revolution II. Dulysse is a 22-year old defender who has yet to feature with the senior national team but has shown potential in the USL this season for the Revolution’s second team.
The Jamaican national team has a strong core in MLS, with sources saying that defender Kemar Lawrence (Toronto FC) and the Philadelphia Union duo of Alvas Powell (defender) and Cory Burke (forward) will be part of their nation’s 23-man roster.
It has been a busy news cycle for the United States national team, what with Tuesday’s news of Konrad De La Fuente joining Marseille in Ligue 1.
The United States national team, fresh off an extra time win over Mexico in the Nations League final, is expected to field a largely domestic roster for the tournament. In the Nations League semifinals and finals, the squad was blended with a largely European contingent of ‘Yanks Abroad’ leading the way.
Given the timing of this tournament and with no Confederations Cup on the line this go around, all signs point to head coach Gregg Berhalter giving a heavy look at players from MLS.
Follow Kristian Dyer of ‘MLS Multiplex’ on Twitter @KristianRDyer