Several U.S. men's national team regulars will return to action for the first time since the coronavius outbreak this weekend
The Bundesliga is set to make its highly-anticipated return, and with the return of German soccer comes the re-emergence of several of the U.S. men's national team's top stars.
Over the years, Germany has turned into a second home for many of American soccer's best players, with the league currently featuring several key faces in the next generation that is expected to lead the USMNT. Those players, including Tyler Adams, Giovanni Reyna and Weston McKennie, will be vital in the push towards 2022 and beyond, and their development will be closely watched over the coming weeks and, ultimately, years.
But it is not only that next generation that will return, as a number of familiar faces are also still key figures for their respective clubs. World Cup veterans such as John Brooks, Fabian Johnson and Timothy Chandler have all been fixtures for their clubs and, at some points, for the USMNT.
With that said, here's a look at the 10 players to watch as the Bundesliga gets back underway:
GettyTyler Adams | RB Leipzig
The former New York Red Bull broke into the RB Leipzig lineup almost immediately after completing his move in January 2019. As a result, many expected Adams to be a key figure this season as the club looked to take a big step forward.
That step has come, with RB Leipzig remaining in the title hunt the whole season, but Adams' part in it has been derailed by injury issues. A groin injury kept him out until just before the winter break and then a February calf issue caused him to miss several additional matches.
As a result, Adams has been limited to just five Bundesliga matches this season and has not featured for the USMNT since March 2019.
AdvertisementStuart FranklinJohn Brooks | Wolfsburg
When healthy and available, John Brooks may still be the best center back in the USMNT pool. He has been vital to the team's success in recent years, that catastrophic performance against Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying aside.
This season, Brooks' presence has been just as vital for Wolfsburg, who are noticeably better when the defender is on the field. Brooks has featured in 21 of Wolfsburg’s 36 competitive games this season and, when he is available, Wolfsburg have been one of the league's best defensive teams.
Only RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich have conceded fewer than the 30 goals allowed by Wolfsburg, and the statistics show that Brooks has been one of the Bundesliga's best in terms of aerial duals won and completed passes out of the back.
As a result, Wolfsburg sit sixth in the league with plenty of hope for a late push while the club has also sealed a spot in the round of 16 in the Europa League.
Maja HitijTimothy Chandler | Eintracht Frankfurt
Timmy Chandler has long been a mystery figure for the USMNT. He's been a consistent player in the Bundesliga for years as a key figure for Eintracht Frankfurt and, before that, Nurnberg. However, he has never been able to bring anything close to consistency to the USMNT and, as a result, has fallen out of the picture following a series of much-criticized stints with the national team.
Unsurprisingly, Chandler has once again performed well with his club this season. He's scored four goals across 23 appearances in all competitions, showing off his versatility as a fullback once again. And, as a result of that versatility and those good performances, there's still a chance that Chandler could have a part to play for the USMNT down the line.
With up-and-comers like Sergino Dest and Reggie Cannon appearing to lock down the fullback spots, a USMNT return for Chandler would be difficult. However, despite all of the changes to the USMNT, the program still isn't in a place to completely give up on a player that continues to perform in the Bundesliga.
Getty ImagesFabian Johnson | Borussia Monchengladbach
Fabian Johnson's days as a USMNT regular are over, and it appears his time as a key figure for Borussia Monchengladbach is also nearing an end.
The 32-year-old has been relegated to a reduced role this season, playing just under 300 minutes in total across all competitions. An early-season groin strain does account for part of that, but Johnson's minutes have largely been reduced since 2017. Internationally, Johnson hasn't been with the USMNT since that 2017 season, although Gregg Berhalter did say last year that he wouldn't completely close the door on the midfielder/fullback.
Borussia Monchengladbach, meanwhile, sit fourth in the league, two points ahead of Bayer Leverkusen for the fourth and final Champions League spot.