It didn't take very long at all for two of the U.S. men's national team players most likely to secure moves abroad this winter to cement their futures.
In the opening days of the January transfer window, Daryl Dike and Ricardo Pepi have headed to Europe, with the former landing a transfer from Orlando City to West Brom in England's second tier and the latter leaving FC Dallas for Augsburg in the Bundesliga. Both are signed through June 2026, when the U.S. will co-host the World Cup with Canada and Mexico, and given their age, ability and trajectory, these moves serve as the jumping-off point for the most influential years of their respective careers in the build-up to that competition.