The U.S. may need some help in midfield, and the answer to the team's problems may lie in Spain
The fear was already there, but Gregg Berhalter's recent comments only added to it. It's been a question that has been lingering for quite some time: what will the U.S. men's national team do if captain Tyler Adams isn't available this summer?
It's a big concern, for sure. The U.S. will play in not one, but two big competitions over the next few months. First will be the Nations League in March and, after that, the big one: the Copa America. As things stand, it's been about a year since we've seen Adams fully fit and, with those games looming, there's no guarantee we'll see the best version of him this summer.
So, with that being the big question, does the USMNT have an answer? It seems so, in the form of two players currently killing it in La Liga. Both Johnny Cardoso and Luca de la Torre could be the natural cover for Adams, and both have stepped up massively for their clubs in recent matches.
There's no replacing skipper Adams; no player in the pool is quite like him. However, a quick glace at what Cardoso and De la Torre are doing in Spain proves that the U.S. has two players that could capably fill in if Adams isn't good to go.
Getty'Taking it day by day'
By the time the Nations League kicks off, we'll have seen Adams play just one match over the last 12 months. In addition, he hasn't featured for the USMNT since the team's round-of-16 loss to the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup. Yes, it's been that long.
His initial injury came all the way back in March 2023 while at Leeds United. A hamstring injury led to surgery, knocking out for the rest of the season as Leeds fell to eventual relegation. Adams, though, moved to Bournemouth this summer, but saw his debut delayed by that injury. Shortly after his debut, Adams was forced to go under the knife again, in October.
He is continuing to rehab and it seems he may be back on the field soon, but Berhalter says Adams' status isn't totally clear at the moment
“I don’t know,” Berhalter told reporters on Tuesday. “We’re taking it the same way he’s taking it, and that’s day by day. And as we get information, we’ll be able to make decisions, but for us, it’s just supporting him, continuing to communicate with his club, and really not getting ahead of ourselves."
The hope is that Adams can go, giving the U.S. their midfield lynchpin and, more importantly, their captain. If he can't though, a spot in midfield is there for the taking, and both Cardoso and De la Torre look poised to take it.
AdvertisementGettyCardoso rewarded for big move
For most of his USMNT career, it's been hard to really figure out what to make of Cardoso. He's earned nine caps, but has started just twice: once in a B-team camp against Bosnia & Herzegovina and then again in a 4-0 beatdown of Ghana in 2023.
With him playing in the Brazilian league on the club level, he felt hard to compare. How did his exploits with Internacional line up with what others were doing in Europe? The Brazilian league is good, for sure, but it's fair to say that it's rarely the focus of American soccer.
In January, though, everything changed. The midfielder made his big move, signing with Real Betis and, just a month into his time with the club, he's already a key player.
He was instantly tossed right into the club's XI and hasn't looked back. On February 9, in just his fourth start, he provided an assist in a 2-0 win over Cadiz to earn man of the match honors. Then, in the Europa League on Thursday against Dinamo Zagreb, he ran the show, leading all players on the field in dribbles and duels despite a 1-0 defeat.
Betis sit sixth in La Liga at the moment and have an outside chance at pushing for a Champions League spot. The signing of Cardoso may just help get them there as the midfielder is raising his level in a big way.
For some time, there have been calls for the USMNT to take a longer look at him, and those calls are growing louder as he's shown the ability to run games in a league as good as La Liga.
Getty ImagesDe la Torre as consistent as ever
It hasn't been the easiest season for Celta Vigo. They sit 17th in La Liga, facing a real relegation battle. De la Torre, though, has been one consistent positive as the American has put together a solid second season with the club.
After joining in the summer of 2022, De la Torre became a regular for Celta relatively quickly, playing 30 times in that debut season. He hasn't slowed down in this sophomore campaign, either, featuring 26 times in all competitions for the club to date.
Early in the campaign, he revealed a new nickname: The Aldi Frenkie de Jong; an insult, in one way, but a compliment in others. Like the Dutchman, De la Torre is a player who can contribute in all facets of the game. It's never too bad to be compared to an elite player, even if you are called the Aldi version.
De la Torre recently put in his best performance of the season, leading the way in a huge 3-0 win over Osasuna. After assisting Jorgen Stand Larsen in the 24th minute, he then scored a goal of his own just 60 seconds later.
The strike was his third in five games in all competitions as De la Torre is really rounding into form. In total, he has five goal involvements this season, with four of those coming within the last month. One of those efforts came via an outrageous heel flick – a highlight reel goal, for sure.
Despite his club's struggles, De la Torre's stock is rising, and it's rising at a good time.
GettyThe case for De la Torre
It's safe to assume that Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah will start for the USMNT whenever healthy. But, if Adams can't go in March or, worst case, to the Copa America, who is the third midfielder?
De la Torre could be the guy. He has been before. With 20 caps to his name, De la Torre has filled in plenty of times, playing as both a No.8 and a No.6. He was a member of the World Cup squad in Qatar, too, even if he didn't play.
The Celta midfielder isn't a destroyer like Adams, but rather more of a ball-playing midfielder. He doesn't offer the physicality that Adams does, but what he does offer is significantly more passing range and the ability to move the ball up the field quickly once he gets it.
Statistically, De la Torre is in the elite percentiles of ball carrying, offering a different sort of presence to the midfield. He's the natural replacement for Musah, realistically, but the U.S. could go with Musah and De la Torre in a more progressive role with McKennie sitting deeper. They could also interchange any of those names due to their flexibility.
Against some teams, that type of setup is great, against others, not so much. But, either way, De la Torre has the quality and, now a regular in La Liga, the high-level experience, to step in.