Gabriel Slonina entered the 2023-24 campaign needing to play regularly to help his overall development and the U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper did just that in Belgium. Slonina, 19, registered five clean sheets in 34 combined appearances this season for Eupen. Despite the club’s consistent struggles and eventual relegation to the second-tier, Slonina was one of the lone bright spots in their season. Now Slonina prepares for potential Olympic involvement and a new challenge at club level next season.
PSV ended the 2023-24 campaign as Eredivisie champions and Sergino Dest was a major reason for their success. Dest logged over 3,100 minutes in 37 combined appearances for PSV, scoring two goals and adding seven assists. The USMNT full back mainly featured on the left side of Peter Bosz’s squad, delivering a stellar loan spell from Barcelona. Despite suffering a torn ACL this spring, Dest was one of the bright spots in the PSV squad and will hope to carry that confidence into next year.
Sheffield United’s forgettable English Premier League campaign shouldn’t take away from Auston Trusty’s impact at the club. Trusty was a consistent starter for the Blades this season, logging 32 league appearances and totaling over 2,500 minutes. After transferring from Arsenal last summer, Trusty jumped right into the squad and rarely lost his place under two different managers. Whether or not Trusty stays with Sheffield United in the Championship remains to be seen, but if he does, he has a strong chance of remaining a starter next campaign.
Chris Richards took a major step forward in his role with Crystal Palace this season. The 24-year-old centerback featured as both a defender and defensive midfielder in the Eagles squad. Richards made 26 appearances for the South London club, scoring his first Premier League goal and also adding his first assist. Richards retained his spot following Oliver Glasner’s arrival at Selhurst Park and has a strong chance of staying a key player in the squad for 2024-25.
A career-best year for Antonee Robinson earned him a spot in this season’s Best XI. Robinson missed just one Premier League match for Fulham this season, registering six assists, and being a strong two-way player for the Cottagers. Despite interest from both Manchester City and Liverpool, Robinson committed his long-term future to the club and remains one of the consistent starters at his position among Premier League left backs. Domestic and European interest will likely come once again this summer but expect Robinson to stay in London going forward.
One of the more consistent midfielders in Italy’s Serie B division, Tanner Tessmann will be one to watch this summer. Tessmann scored seven goals and added three assists in 41 league appearances for Venezia. The former FC Dallas homegrown featured often for the third-place finishers, teaming up with fellow American Gianluca Busio on a regular basis. Gianluca Busio also impressed for Venezia, netting seven goals and adding four assists alongside Tessmann. He was an Honorable Mention for this spot.
Weston McKennie returned to Juventus last summer with plenty of questions to answer and the USMNT star did just that this season. McKennie registered 10 assists in all competitions, making 38 combined appearances. The 25-year-old showed off his versatility, featuring in midfield, and as a wing back at times. Juventus lifted the Coppa Italia trophy midweek and clinched a top-four finish in Serie A. Johnny Cardoso‘s impact with both Internacional and Real Betis earned him an Honorable Mention shout this season.
A second-straight loan spell for Malik Tillman earned him a permanent move to Dutch side PSV. Tillman totaled nine goals and 15 assists in all competitions for the Eredivisie champions, excelling in Peter Bosz’s squad. Despite signing a contract extension with Bayern Munich last summer, Tillman’s productive loan spell earned him a transfer to Holland permanently. The 21-year-old can still grow his game even more and Tillman will certainly aim for that this summer with the USMNT.
Josh Sargent might have missed three months this season but it didn’t stop him from setting new career-highs with Norwich City. Sargent scored 16 goals for the Canaries in 30 combined appearances, helping David Wagner’s men reach the EFL Championship promotion playoffs. His 2024 form alone should have him in the USMNT conversation this summer for the Copa America. Sargent will certainly be on the radar of several clubs this summer after registering back-to-back campaigns with double-digit goals.
