AS Roma are interested in Josh Sargent
Josh Sargent scored 15 goals, with five assists in 32 Championship games for Norwich City in the season just gone. So it was a surprise that he was not included in the USMNT roster for this summer. Mauricio Pochettino said it was for footballing reasons that he did not call up Sargent. However, the real reason could have been that Sargent is sorting out his future at the club level.
Gianluca Di Marzio has reported (translated from Italian), "Roma wants to strengthen the attack. The Giallorossi are in the initial evaluation phase of several names. Among these are Josh Sargent of Norwich and Nick Woltemade of Stuttgart."
Sargent and Woltemade were both teammates at Werder Bremen. Last season for Stuttgart, the German forward found the back of the net 12 times, with two assists in 28 Bundesliga games. His recent experience of top-flight soccer could make him a more attractive option than Sargent.
Sargent has played in English soccer's second tier for the last three campaigns. He is expected to leave Norwich this summer, but would have options if Roma go for Woltemade instead. There are reportedly clubs in England and Germany that want the striker.
Mauricio Pochettino calls out Christian Pulisic
U.S. Soccer were keen to announce that it was Christian Pulisic's decision not to be included in the recent USMNT roster was down to the player. It is a huge blow to Mauricio Pochettino not to have his star forward, and the manager has expressed his frustration in a recent interview.
Speaking on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, Pochettino said, "Even (Lionel) Messi, Neymar, (Kylian) Mbappé for France, Harry Kane… these guys are desperate to go to the national team. For them, they don’t see if it’s a friendly, it's an official game, a World Cup game. Doesn’t matter because of the possibility to defend one time more your flag, your shirt."
Pochettino did not name Pulisic in this speech, but it is clear that he was hinting at the AC Milan player choosing to take a rest this summer. Of course, Pulisic has played 50 games this season and suffered calf and muscle problems. However, many USMNT fans will not understand his decision to step back from international duty.
Michael Bradley becomes a coach with Canada
Since retiring from playing soccer, Michael Bradley has been following in his father Bob's footsteps by going into coaching. Bradley worked as his Dad's assistant at Stabæk Fotball in Norway. However, he now has a new role.
The Athletic has revealed that "Canada’s men’s national team coaching staff will have some new, but familiar faces, for the current international window. Former MLS and United States men’s national team star Michael Bradley will join Canada’s coaching staff for the team’s training camp here (Halifax, Nova Scotia) ahead of upcoming friendlies against the Ukraine and Ivory Coast."
Bradley has a wealth of international experience as a player, as he represented the USMNT 151 times. He won the Gold Cup twice, so his knowledge of the tournament will be vital for Canada ahead of their participation this summer.
Bradley also knows Canadian soccer well, having played for Toronto FC on 308 occasions. He won MLS Cup with the Reds in 2017, so he knows how to win with a team from Canada.
Canada is now managed by Jesse Marsch, who played under Bob Bradley at the Chicago Fire and Chivas USA. Marsch was also his assistant with the USMNT, so it is fitting that the younger Bradley is now working with someone who would have learnt a lot from his Dad.