The English Premier League is widely considered the best soccer competition on the planet. Hundreds of thousands of American soccer fans tune into NBC, NBC Sports, Peacock, and USA Network every Premier League matchday and watch some of the game’s best players battle it out for 90 minutes. Interest in the Premier League is at an all-time high in the States, thanks to eight American players and one head coach being on the books across the 20 teams.
More than three dozen Americans have competed in the Premier League over the years. John Harkes was the first-ever player from the States after he joined Sheffield Wednesday in 1992. Since then, such luminaries as Clint Dempsey, Brad Friedel, Brian McBride, Kasey Keller, Tim Howard, and Roy Wegerle have all turned out for various Premier League outfits. All the players mentioned above have since retired from professional soccer, but the current crop of American Premier League players have their careers ahead of them.
A Trio of Americans at Leeds United
Leeds United has strong American roots. The San Francisco 49ers own 49% of the club, and some seven USA players have worn the famous Leeds United jersey before this season. Fastforward to today, and there are nine Americans to have worn the shirt, and their head coach is also a true American. The team has struggled in the Premier League of late and is one of the favorites for relegation with the best online sportsbooks, but the American trio is doing every they can to help turn around the club’s flagging fortunes.
Brenden Aaronson moved from Philadelphia Union to Red Bull Salzburg in January 2021 before Leeds United paid Salzburg $30 million to secure the young attacker’s services. Aaronson has been ever-present in the Leeds starting lineup this season.
Tyler Adams, the US National Team captain, also joined Leeds this season. The Yorkshire club spent $24 million bringing him in from Red Bull Leipzig.
Jesse Marsch completed the American trio; the 49-year-old is the club’s head coach. Marsch played more than 300 MLS games before turning his attention to coaching. Leeds United is the team you want to support if you are a soccer-loving American.
The Americans Drawn to London
The other US players in the Premier League all play for teams based out of London. Christian Pulisic is the best-known of these London-based stars thanks, in part, to playing for title challengers Chelsea. Pulisic moved from Pennsylvania to Germany when he was 16 and joined Borussia Dortmund. He gained a reputation as a superb footballer, prompting Chelsea to pay $73 million for his signature, making Pulisic the most expensive American soccer player of all time.
Gabriel Slonina is also with Chelsea, although the 18-year-old goalkeeper is currently on loan at Chicago Fire. Slonina is highly rated, so much so that Chelsea paid $10 million for him despite his young age.
Two US stars play for Fulham FC; left back Antonee Robinson and center-back Tim Ream. Robinson was born in the United Kingdom but has American citizenship through his father. Nicknamed “Jedi,” Robinson has been one of Fulham’s most consistent performers upon their return to the Premier League. Ream has played almost 250 games for Fulham since 2015. He scored his first premier league goal on Boxing Day 2022.
Twenty-two-year-old central defender Chris Richards plays for Crystal Palace, having joined The Eagles from Bayern Munich for $13 million last summer. He has found his playing time limited, having made only four Premier League appearances, but he certainly has time on his side.
Last but not least is the Arsenal reserve goalkeeper Matt Turner, who was the first-choice goalkeeper for the USA at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. After shining for the New England Revolution, Arsenal paid an initial $6 million, rising to $10 million, to bring him to London. Although Turner is yet to make a Premier League appearance, he often plays in goal during the domestic cups and some European competitions.
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