USMNT January camp roster announced

Bruce Arena announced his choices for the roster that will be called in for his first training camp in his second stint as United States men’s national team manager.

The 32-man all-MLS roster announced today will be the one to train and get in shape for the upcoming club season. The camp will culminate with two friendlies, one against Serbia in San Diego (Jan. 29) and the other against Jamaica in Chattanooga (Feb. 3).

As promised, we have been treated with some very interesting and new names in this experimental squad. The annual January camp is synonymous with giving fringe and young players a chance to prove themselves and this year’s group is no different.

Perhaps the most notable name on the roster is the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Kekuta Manneh. The Gambia-born forward has spent the last year or so attempting to gain U.S. citizenship to be eligibe for the USMNT and it appears he has succeeded in that goal. It remains to be seen if everything is official on FIFA’s end to allow him to play, but it seems that Bruce Arena is ready to bring him in and evaluate him.

This camp also marks the return of Benny Feilhaber to the USMNT scene as he and Jurgen Klinsmann had their differences. Arena’s arrival appears to have give Feilhaber an new lease on USMNT life.

Other young players who have their first chance to impress include Keegan Rosenberry and Walker Zimmerman, both who had stellar 2015 seasons in MLS for their respective clubs and will be looking to insert their names in the conversation for full national team backline spots.

Here’s the full USMNT January camp roster:

GOALKEEPERS (5): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls).

DEFENDERS (10): DaMarcus Beasley (Unattached), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Greg Garza (Atlanta United FC), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Taylor Kemp (D.C. United), Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC), Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City).

MIDFIELDERS (12): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Jermaine Jones (Unattached), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Kekuta Manneh (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Chris Pontius (Philadelphia Union), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC).

FORWARDS (5): Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy).