USMNT news and rumors: Johnny Cardoso linked with Chelsea and AFC Bournemouth
It was thought that Tottenham Hotspur would be Johnny Cardoso's next destination as they have a purchase option to sign him from Real Betis for £21 million this summer. However, the USMNT midfielder is now being linked with other Premier League sides.
According to Fichajes (translated from Spanish), "The Real Betis midfielder has caught the attention of two English clubs: Chelsea and AFC Bournemouth, who are willing to invest a significant sum to secure his services for next season.
"Both clubs are willing to pay €35 million, divided into €30 million fixed and €5 million variable. This amount could convince Betis, although the Andalusian club is in no rush to sell, as they consider Cardoso an important player in their midfield."
Johnny has had an impressive season so far for Betis — where the defensive midfielder scored a header in a 2-1 win over Real Madrid in La Liga. Moving to Chelsea would be an ambitious move as they currently have Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo as their defensive midfielders. Both players cost the Blues more than £100 million and would not be shifted easily.
Despite Bournemouth being likely to miss out on European soccer now for next season. Moving to Andoni Iraola's side could be Johnny's best option. He will have a much greater chance of starting for the Cherries than at Chelsea and could partner USMNT teammate Tyler Adams in midfield. Their partnership could then also be used by Mauricio Pochettino for the national team.
Weston McKennie set for new Juventus deal
Weston McKennie has become invaluable to Juventus this season. He has played multiple positions and has captained the side when Manuel Locatelli is not on the field. The USMNT midfielder is set to be rewarded for his efforts with a new contract.
Mirko Di Natale posted on X (translated from Italian), "Meeting scheduled between Juve and McKennie's agents by the end of the current season. This will be the moment when the parties will begin to talk concretely about figures and contract duration."
However, it is not all positive news for McKennie. MailOnline revealed that "McKennie is among a group of 13 soccer players being investigated for illegal online betting in Italy. A new investigation by prosecutors in Milan stems from evidence given by fellow soccer players Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Fagioli in 2023."
Tonali was banned from soccer for 10 months for breaching betting regulations. Therefore, this could be very bad news for McKennie if he is found guilty.
Gio Reyna told to find a new home
Gio Reyna has struggled for game time at Borussia Dortmund for some time now. He has been left on the bench by Niko Kovač in Dortmund's last five Bundesliga matches. Bild has reported that the club have told Reyna that he can start looking for a new team as his contract expires at the end of next season.
Reyna has been linked with Inter Milan, amongst other Serie A clubs, as well as teams from La Liga and Ligue 1. However, after a difficult time on loan from Dortmund in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest in the second half of the last campaign, it might be wise for Reyna to take a step backwards to go forward. Therefore, a move to MLS or the Eredivisie could be what Reyna needs.