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Jurgen Klinsmann plotting Darlington Nagbe USMNT call-up

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Darlington Nagbe is on Jurgen Klinsmann's radar. Portland Timbers manager Caleb Porter told ExtraTime Radio that Klinsmann had contacted him about the midfielder as he lays the ground for Nagbe to get a call-up to the United States national team soon.

"I’ve talked to Jurgen," Porter said. "He likes him, he’s very interested in bringing him in."

Porter also said that Klinsmann just emailed him to ask if FIFA had cleared Nagbe to represent the U.S. yet. The Timbers manager explained that he hadn't, with Nagbe having just received his American citizenship a month ago and these matters usually taking about six weeks.

As of now, Nagbe can't play for the U.S., but that should be cleared up in the next couple weeks. That would make Nagbe eligible for the U.S. the next time the team plays, on November 13 in their first World Cup qualifier.

If there was any doubt that Nagbe is in Klinsmann's plans, that's no longer a concern. Klinsmann wouldn't be checking in on him and when he's eligible to play if he wasn't planning on calling the midfielder in. We'll see if he gets the call in November, or maybe it's in January, but it's safe to say that Nagbe will play for the U.S. soon. Then it just becomes a matter of how good he really is and if he can make an impact at the international level.