Cody Cropper suffers head injury playing for Southampton

Cody Cropper suffered a head injury while playing for Southampton in a U-21 match on Monday. The American goalkeeper was taken to the hospital and there is no word yet on his status.

According to the Daily Echo, Cropper was injured less than two minutes into the match when he came out for a ball. He was hit in the end and was tended to on the pitch for nearly 10 minutes. The medics then took him to the hospital for tests. Club officials visited him there later in the night.

Cropper has long been touted as one of the United States' best prospects. Goalkeepers develop slower than outfield players so nobody expects him to start for the national team anytime soon, but he was been a regular call-up to Jurgen Klinsmann's training camps. Klinsmann identified him as one of the country's best young players and has sought to get him experience, even if just in training.

The 21-year-old has not played for Southampton's first team before, but he has made the bench. With the Saints' profile growing and the reputation of their academy already sky high, the club appears to be a good home for him, and Southampton handed him a new contract last year so they appear to think highly of him as well.

Hopefully Cropper's injury isn't too serious and Southampton were just being understandably cautious with a head injury.