ASN’s Brian Sciaretta runs by the information with some ideas – starting from the nice (McKennie), to the unhealthy (Pepi), and the whole lot in between (Sargent).
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
January 14, 2026
7:05 AM
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McKennie magnificent vs. Cremonese
Weston McKennie turned in certainly one of his finest outings of the season on Monday for Juventus in a 5-0 rout over thirteenth place Cremonese. The win moved Juventus into fourth place. He scored the crew’s remaining objective but additionally was probably the most answerable for forcing an personal objective for the crew’s fourth objective.
McKennie is within the remaining yr of his contract and may now free to barter and signal for any membership. At an deadlock with Juventus, McKennie is elevating the stakes and the legacy he has on the membership is fascinating. He drifts out and in of being in favor and that is the fourth time it has appeared like he’s exiting the membership. Possibly Juventus and McKennie get again right into a room to barter a brand new deal, however perhaps not.
Weston McKennie scores for the second time in three video games for Juventus. #USMNT pic.twitter.com/9yqPxcjOlv
— Doug McIntyre (@ByDougMcIntyre) January 12, 2026
However finally he’ll go away and his legacy might be attention-grabbing to comply with. He’s underappreciated on one hand, however maybe him consistently being on the sting of being in favor or being out of the plans is what motivates him to be at his finest.
Both means, if McKennie leaves quickly, Juventus will seemingly miss him an increasing number of over time.
La buonanotte del nostro Wes ?????? pic.twitter.com/2etYAeBQGF
— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) January 12, 2026
Pepi scores, will get injured
Ricardo Pepi underwent surgical procedure on Sunday for a damaged arm – which he suffered whereas scoring the second objective of a 5-1 win over Excelsior. He’s anticipated to overlook two months.
This harm is a setback for Pepi in that it takes him out of rhythm in what has been an excellent season the place he lastly earned the belief of supervisor Peter Bosz to say the beginning job on the No. 9 place.
Ricardo Pepi heeft een onderarmbreuk opgelopen. ??
De 23-jarige aanvaller wordt morgen geopereerd. Naar verwachting staat Pepi zo’n twee maanden aan de kant. pic.twitter.com/evNXVRPCwB
— PSV (@PSV) January 10, 2026
Nonetheless, this harm hurts PSV greater than the USMNT. Pepi may be again in time for the March friendlies. If not, he might be again nicely in time for the World Cup. For the U.S. crew, it’s merely vital that Pepi get again in time to search out his rhythm once more. If the whole lot goes in keeping with play, that shouldn’t be a difficulty.
For PSV, Pepi will miss Champions League knockout video games and vital Eredivisie video games as PSV seems to comfortably win the league.
One other setback for this harm is whether or not it cools the switch curiosity in Pepi as Fulham was in scorching pursuit of him within the weeks earlier than the harm.
Sargent’s mess in Norwich
Regardless of being in the midst of a tough season, Josh Sargent was anticipated to be the topic of switch rumors this January, however not like this. Fabrizio Romano reported final week that Toronto FC submitted a $19 million bid for Sargent.
However apparently, Sargent took himself out of the lineup for Norwich’s FA Cup win over Walsall on Sunday. Norwich head coach Philippe Clement talked concerning the state of affairs has unfolded in an unpleasant manor.
“Josh sent me a message [Saturday] evening saying he would not be available because of transfer things in his head,” mentioned Clement.
“This is obviously not something we want and will have consequences. It is something we need to speak about inside the club, but the club has made it really clear to Josh and his agent that he will not be leaving during this transfer window.”
How precisely this example ends will not be clear? However how will Sargent play once more for Norwich after he refused to play? Will Norwich sit him and watch his worth crumble?
Sargent is unlikely to go to the World Cup if Pepi and Folarin Balogun are wholesome and taking part in however one harm may put him again within the combine.
As for Toronto, Sargent may very well be an enormous addition.
Yow to New England
Griffin Yow is within the remaining season of his contract with Westerlo and the 2024 U.S. Olympic crew winger and beginning in January, he was free to signal with any crew. Ultimately, he was capable of safe a transfer to return stateside and be part of the New England Revolution.
At one level, Gent in Belgium was – and it’s straightforward to see why. Gent is managed by Rik De Mil, who beforehand managed Westerlo when Yow loved his breakout season in 2023/24. That season is when Yow pressured his means onto the 2024 Olympic crew from out of nowhere.
However the New England Revolution are managed by Marko Mitrovic, who beforehand managed the Olympic crew the place Yow grew to become a starter in Paris.
Yow is a really direct participant and it’s best for him to go to a membership the place the supervisor is aware of precisely what to anticipate from him. He won’t be a match for each supervisor.
When taking a look at leagues, midtable Belgium or midtable MLS is not a debate over rather a lot. However going from a state of affairs when he is not taking part in a lot for a bottom-half Belgian crew to a state of affairs the place he may very well be taking part in rather a lot for New England is a big step up.
Yow will flip 24 this MLS season. There are monetary concerns at play for him and he must put himself in one of the best place to play and maximize his earnings. New England gained out.
Downs debuts for HSV
???????????????????? ???? #nurderHSV pic.twitter.com/idSpNfiLpM
— Hamburger SV (@HSV) January 12, 2026
Downs walked instantly into the crew’s beginning XI for a matchup in opposition to Freiburg.
Finally it didn’t go nicely as Downs didn’t do a lot in his 78 minutes on the sector (Hamburg have been decreased to 10-men within the 51st minute). Downs was routinely crushed on practically all of his duels and he managed only one shot.
Downs remains to be a great prospect for the U.S. nationwide crew and it’ll take him a while to get again into the rhythm of taking part in each sport. However proper now, the USMNT shouldn’t be near his major concern. He must justify to HSV that he could be their beginning ahead and that the membership doesn’t must search for a high-caliber No. 9 this summer time. All the things else follows that.
Scally stars for M’Gladbach
Borussia Monchengladbach simply defeated Augsburg 4-0 over the weekend in what was a uncommon sport inside or Europe’s high 5 leagues that featured three American gamers.
From an American perspective, Joe Scally was the star of the sport and he scored the opening objective. He was additionally strong in each different facet.
For the U.S. nationwide crew, this was vital for Scally as he’s behind each Sergino Dest and Alex Freeman within the pecking order. He might need a gap, nevertheless, if Mauricio Pochettino views Dest as a winger greater than a proper again. By any perspective, he’s on the bubble. However video games like this assist. It’s all about doing sufficient to earn a call-up for March after which impressing there.
Gio Reyna was on the bench and solely made a cameo within the eighty fifth minute as soon as the sport was out of attain. In different phrases, he wasn’t missed. As one other participant who’s on the bubble, it was not a welcome growth that he couldn’t begin in getting back from the winter break. He’s on the radar after his sturdy November camp, however he must step up for his membership– quickly.
Noahkai Banks, 19, wasn’t at fault for any of the targets however as a central defender, it wasn’t good for him to be a part of a blowout loss. He stays one of many high younger American prospects and he performs a place of want, however his worth could be severely impacted if Augsburg are relegated. Proper now, they’re two factors away from the relegation zone.
Banks stays within the hunt for a World Cup roster spot and the central protection place is large open.
Paredes is again
Kevin Paredes made his return to the sector after yet one more long-term harm. He performed the ultimate 13 minutes for Wolfsburg in an in any other case horrible 8-1 loss to Bayern Munich (it was 7-1 when the previous 2024 U.S. Olympic crew winger entered).
Total, it’s nice to see him again and hopefully he can keep wholesome for a protracted stretch. He wants that. He’ll flip 23 on the finish of the season and accidents have actually been the dominant story since he joined Wolfsburg. He was thought of very sturdy throughout his days in DC.
He’s definitely one for subsequent cycle if he get again on monitor, however one other harm may see Wolfsburg lose confidence in him. He’s at a pivotal interval in his profession. He should keep wholesome the remainder of season.
Cardoso begins in Copa del Rey win
Johnny Cardoso performed the total 90 for Atletico Madrid on Monday in a 1-0 away win over Deportivo La Coruna (at the moment fifth within the second tier La Liga 2). The successful objective was from a free kick by Antonio Griezmann within the 61st minute. The free kick was given after Cardoso was fouled exterior the field.
La valoración de Johnny ????? pic.twitter.com/vI4kCptqRq
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) January 13, 2026
It was nice to see Cardoso get taking part in time and he definitely performed nicely. However was it sufficient to get him extra minutes in La Liga video games? That is still to be seen.
