Latest news with #GoldCup
USA Today
8 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
USMNT: Agyemang completes reported $8 million move to Derby County
Patrick Agyemang is officially an American Abroad, as the U.S. men's national team striker's long-rumored move to Derby County was confirmed Tuesday. The now-former Charlotte FC forward is heading to the English Championship in a deal widely reported to be worth an initial fee of $8 million, with a potential for that figure to rise to $10 million should some unspecified bonus requirements be met. Agyemang's transfer caps off a wild 18 months for the Connecticut native. After starting his pro career off with Charlotte's MLS Next Pro affiliate Crown Legacy FC (where he scored 10 times in 12 appearances), Agyemang was called up to MLS. The early returns weren't anything to write home about: four goals in 16 appearances in all competitions, including just one in 12 MLS league matches. However, Agyemang grew in stature in 2024, scoring 10 goals after taking over as the full-time starter under Dean Smith. That in turn caught the eye of new USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino, who gave the 6-foot-4 striker his first cap in January. Agyemang scored on his debut, and was first-choice throughout this summer's Gold Cup (where he scored two goals). Overall, Agyemang has five goals in his 12 USMNT appearances, and leaves Charlotte having scored eight times in 18 matches this season. Derby will need him to carry on performing at a high level. The Derbyshire-based club were relegated to League One after the 2021-22 season thanks in significant part to a 21-point penalty over financial problems, with the possibility of folding not completely out of the question. The Rams climbed back into the Championship after two seasons, but needed to collect seven points from the final three matches of the season to stay up. Derby finished 19th last season, avoiding the drop by a single point. Agyemang's transfer wasn't necessarily one that Charlotte stood in the way of, but Smith — who has played and coached in the English second tier — last week cautioned the target man to go elsewhere if he was dead set on leaving MLS. L'Equipe had linked Agyemang to interest from Ligue 1 clubs Lens and Nice. "I've had the conversation with Patrick and my answer was, I don't think he should [go to Derby]," Smith said at a press conference. "The Championship is not too much different from MLS. This is a major league over here. You're going to a second league in the U.K."
Fox Sports
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
U.S. Forward Patrick Agyemang Joins Derby County, Will Get Hernia Surgery
United States men's national team forward Patrick Agyemang signed a four-year contract with English Championship side Derby County on Tuesday. Derby County, which plays in England's second division, paid a reported fee of $7.7 million to Major League Soccer team Charlotte FC to secure Ageymang's services. The 24-year-old Agyemang scored eight goals in 18 appearances during the first half of Charlotte's current season. Across 59 regular-season matches since 2023, Agyemang has scored 17 times for Charlotte. For the USMNT, Agyemang had two goals at the Gold Cup and started all six games as the team reached the final, where it lost to Mexico. Charlotte described the transfer fee as a club record, though neither team revealed the figure. British media reported it to be $7.7 million. In its statement announcing the move, Derby County said Agygemang will undergo hernia surgey. "Agyemang has been playing for most of the 2025 Major League Soccer season with a hernia injury that has been managed without surgery but meant he has been playing in discomfort," Derby said in its announcement. "With a long-term view in mind, all parties have agreed he will undergo routine surgery and is therefore likely to miss the opening games of the 2025-26 season." The East Hartford, Connecticut native was selected 12th overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. "I've heard about [the move] once I was getting into the national team for the Gold Cup," Agyemang said in an interview with Derby's website. "And obviously, in the moment, you're like, 'that's something I'm interested in!' But you want to focus on what you're doing. "Then, as it starts to progress, you start to look more into it. And there is this project I'd love to be a part of. And I just hoped for it to get across the line. And happily, it did." Derby County narrowly avoided relegation back to the third division (League One) last season. The team had played there from 2022-24 after dropping from the Championship (2008-22). The Rams last played in the Premier League in the 2007-2008 season. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 1 Get more from the MLS Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Marcel Ruiz was close to joining La Máquina
In football, a single decision can change the history of a club, and Cruz Azul experienced this with the case of Marcel Ruiz. The current Liga MX and Gold Cup champion was very close to wearing the sky-blue jersey. Advertisement Ruiz, now a star at Toluca and with the Mexican National Team, was sought after by La Máquina when he was just starting to shine at Querétaro. 'Cruz Azul offered 8.5 million dollars for Marcel Ruiz,' revealed Tito Villa in a recent broadcast. The offer was made during Ricardo Peláez's tenure as sporting director, with the intention of adding talent to the midfield. However, Gallos Blancos rejected the proposal despite it being well above the national average. The rejection left Cruz Azul without their signing, and over time, Querétaro ended up selling the player for a lower amount. Now, Marcel is aiming for Europe, far from the path he could have taken with the cementeros. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. 📸 Rodrigo Oropeza - 2025 Getty Images
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Radioactive: Cup drivers hot on the mic in Sonoma heat
How confident should U.S. feel ahead of Gold Cup Final vs. Mexico? Yahoo Sports contributors Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros gauge their confidence in the U.S. Men's National Team heading into the Gold Cup Final against Mexico. Hear the full conversation on the 'The Cooligans' podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen. 2:35 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Clover looking to Lonsdale Cup for Al Nayyir
Tom Clover's charge was beaten a short head by Vauban at Group Two level at York last summer and has since enjoyed a winter spell in sunnier climes, contesting the Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia before performing with credit in the Dubai Gold Cup. Having finished third behind subsequent Gold Cup hero Trawlerman on his return to Britain in Sandown's Henry II Stakes in late May, the seven-year-old returned to the Esher track for the Listed Coral Marathon earlier this month and was again denied by a short head, this time by veteran stayer Coltrane. Clover said: 'He ran super, I think maybe just as an older horse he might have found the ground a touch tight perhaps on that summer, quick ground. 'He was only beaten in a photo and I loved the way he hit the line strong, so hopefully he can win another stakes race soon. 'He could well go back to York, obviously he was a close second in it (Lonsdale Cup) last year. We'll see how he is, but it could well be the plan at the moment.' On Saturday Clover saddled big-race runners at Newmarket and York, with high-class sprinter Rogue Lightning far from disgraced in finishing ninth in the July Cup – beaten just over four lengths. 'He ran well, it feels like he loves being in trouble and it's hard to find a clear passage through, but he wasn't beaten far,' the trainer added. 'Hopefully we can work back from the Dukhan Sprint in Qatar in February, which he won this year, and hopefully he's up to winning another stakes race soon.' Tabletalk looked a major threat after travelling strongly in the Group Three Silver Cup at York, but his effort petered out late on and he had to make do with minor honours in third behind Al Qareem. Clover said: 'He ran well, I thought he might go and nearly win and I don't know whether Ascot took it's toll perhaps – maybe it came a bit soon. 'I'd like to think he's up to winning a Group Three and that looked a good opportunity, but we might have ran him back a bit soon. 'We'll see how he is. We'll give him a quiet week and build him up from there.'
