U.S. males’s nationwide staff defender Sergino Dest picked up a “severe knee damage” in coaching with PSV, the membership introduced on Sunday, elevating doubts about his availability for the Copa America in lower than two months’ time.
PSV provided few specifics on Dest’s damage and timeline of restoration however urged that the participant will probably be out for a notable time frame.
“SergiƱo Dest suffered what seems to be a severe knee damage throughout Saturday’s coaching session,” the membership stated in a press release. “How lengthy the winger will probably be sidelined remains to be being investigated. That it will likely be an prolonged interval is nearly sure.”
Dest has been an everyday for PSV throughout this season after becoming a member of the Dutch membership on mortgage from Barcelona, serving as their first-choice left again as they inch nearer to successful Eredivisie. His kind for his membership has solely strengthened Dest’s standing because the USMNT’s beginning proper again, most lately taking part in the function through the nationwide staff’s 2-0 win over Mexico a month in the past within the Concacaf Nations League ultimate.
His stronghold on the beginning proper again function, although, is as a lot a mirrored image of the USMNT’s lack of depth within the place as it’s Dest’s personal talents. If Dest can not make it to the Copa America, head coach Gregg Berhalter will probably be left with a pool of gamers to select from which have various ranges of expertise — and at occasions have didn’t impress even when given the prospect. It doubtless makes the USMNT’s mission of impressing towards top-tier opposition harder but in addition affords Berhalter and his employees an opportunity to discover their depth because the countdown to the 2026 World Cup on dwelling soil continues.
Here is a take a look at the gamers who might fill in for Dest if he can not make it to the Copa America.
Joe Scally
After filling in for Dest throughout final month’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal towards Jamaica, Joe Scally is arguably the likeliest particular person to take action once more on the Copa America. Scally didn’t put in a convincing efficiency that day, although — he lacked the attacking prowess that Dest affords and Berhalter values from his exterior backs and was yanked at halftime with Weston McKennie taking up a few of his obligations because the USMNT looked for an equalizer. The 21-year-old won’t even enter the Copa America in his finest kind, both, contemplating he has not began a Bundesliga sport for Borussia Monchengladbach in almost a month.
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Chris Richards
Between his play through the Nations League and his kind with Crystal Palace, Chris Richards is constructing an argument as one of many USMNT’s beginning heart backs. He is a reasonably versatile participant, although, and will discover himself at proper again if Dest is unable to take part on the Copa America. Slotting Richards in at proper again, although, would require Berhalter to make one other change within the again line — Tim Ream and Miles Robinson is likely to be the frontrunners to start out at heart again if Richards isn’t, although Robinson is coming off an unimpressive exhibiting towards Jamaica.
It is value recognizing, although, that Berhalter may need the time to experiment earlier than the Copa America begins. He’s anticipated to have an prolonged camp earlier than the competitors begins, which is able to embody high-profile friendlies towards Colombia and Brazil that may very well be essential as the pinnacle coach figures out what his finest staff is.
Honorable mentions: DeAndre Yedlin, DeJuan Jones
Berhalter is proscribed in the case of the core group of gamers he normally calls upon, so he could have to choose a participant who has not been within the fold for a while. There is a motive these gamers have fallen down the depth chart however Berhalter does have his choices in MLS, together with FC Cincinnati’s DeAndre Yedlin and the New England Revolution’s DeJuan Jones. Yedlin was a fixture for the nationwide staff previously and boasts the attacking qualities Berhalter values, whereas Jones was one of many higher gamers through the USMNT’s run eventually summer time’s Concacaf Gold Cup, when an MLS-heavy staff misplaced within the semifinals. Nashville SC’s Shaq Moore is also within the dialog however he is at present sidelined with an damage, which could influence his availability this summer time.
There are nonetheless questions on how every of them might stack up towards high-ranking opponents — the U.S. will play Uruguay within the group stage of the Copa America and will tackle both Colombia or Brazil in the event that they advance to the quarterfinals. The prolonged camp beforehand, together with the friendlies towards the potential quarterfinal foes, may very well be essential in getting them on top of things earlier than the Copa America begins.
