Paxten Aaronson, Brandon Vázquez headline USMNT January camp roster

No Union players made the U.S. men’s soccer team’s annual January camp for reserves, but there will still be a significant local flavor.

Union alum Paxten Aaronson was freed to attend by his new club, Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt, just over two weeks after arriving there. Eintracht signed Aaronson for $4 million, with potentially a lot more in incentives, in the Union’s latest big-money sale of an academy product.

Aaronson is one of seven players from beyond MLS on the 24-man squad that will gather in southern California for practices and then two games. The U.S. will play Serbia on Jan. 25 at Los Angeles FC’s stadium in the city (10 p.m., Universo, HBO Max, Peacock), then face Colombia at the Galaxy’s home in nearby Carson on Jan. 28 (7:30 p.m., TNT, Telemundo, Peacock).

If Aaronson plays, he and his older brother Brenden will become the eighth set of brothers to compete for the U.S. men’s program. That history dates back to Bethlehem Steel legend Archie Stark and his brother Tom in the 1920s.

(And yes, it will mark Paxten Aaronson’s return to the site of his last game for the Union.)

» READ MORE: Ernst Tanner reveals details of Paxten Aaronson’s move from the Union to Eintracht Frankfurt

There was some expectation that the Union’s Jack McGlynn would get called up, and a sense that Leon Flach or newly-signed Andres Perea might. But if you’re looking for interesting stories, this squad has plenty — including three players who’ve been in recruiting battles between the U.S. and Mexico.

Start with FC Cincinnati’s Brandon Vázquez, who had 20 goals and eight assists last year but didn’t make the World Cup team. When it became clear that he wouldn’t, the door opened for Mexico. Reports said he waited for a call, but it never came.

Then there’s Jonathan Gómez, a 19-year-old outside back who jumped from the second-tier USL Championship’s Louisville City to big Spanish team Real Sociedad. He has played in one friendly each for the U.S. and Mexico, but won’t seal his allegiance until playing in an official tournament.

(Sociedad, by the way, recently welcomed hosted 15-year-old Union centerback prospect Neil Pierre for a visit that caught social media’s attention.)

The biggest name of the trio is Alejandro Zendejas, a 24-year-old attacking midfielder with Mexican powerhouse Club América. Born in Mexico and raised in Texas, he played for both countries’ youth teams and in two friendlies for Mexico’s senior squad.

» READ MORE: Paxten Aaronson helped the U.S. men’s soccer team end its 16-year Olympics drought

Mexico’s raucous media has had Zendejas in a spotlight for a while. There was skepticism that he’d accept the U.S. team’s invitation, and because it’s not a FIFA window, América didn’t have to let him go. But the player and the team said yes, so Zendejas will play in the Serbia game before returning to Mexico City.

“First, we’re extremely grateful to the club. They’ve been incredibly supportive,” interim U.S. manager Anthony Hudson said in a statement. “He was another player we wanted in but didn’t think we were going to get. He’s an exciting player, a technical player who plays out wide on the right or left, and has a really good final product.”

Hudson added that when the U.S. coaching staff spoke with Zendejas, he was “just super-excited to come in, and obviously has history with the youth national teams.”

The foreign contingent also includes 18-year-old goalkeeper Gabriel “Gaga” Slonina, who grew up with the Chicago Fire and joined English power Chelsea last August for $10 million. MLS scouts will be watching 24-year-old midfielder Alan Soñora, who was born in New York, grew up in Argentina, and just left Buenos Aires’ Independiente. His father, Diego, played for four MLS teams from 1996-2001.

Among the domestic crop, notable names include two outside backs: the New York Red Bulls’ 20-year-old John Tolkin and the Vancouver Whitecaps’ 29-year-old Julian Gressel, who was born in Germany and became a U.S. citizen last November. Gressel might not have a long-term future with the U.S., but it’s a nice reward. (And you can never have too many outside backs.)

» READ MORE: Will the USMNT play in the 2024 Copa América? U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson opens the door to it.

Portland Timbers midfield tempo-setter Eryk Williamson has waited since the 2021 Gold Cup to return to the national team.

There are five players from the World Cup squad: goalkeeper Sean Johnson (who’s a free agent at the moment), centerbacks Aaron Long and Walker Zimmerman, midfielder Kellyn Acosta, and forward Jesús Ferreira. And there’s the one who was perhaps the last cut from Qatar, winger Paul Arriola.

Hudson called Arriola “just an incredible character,” and said “the decision was simple” to bring the 27-year-old back.

“Paul is one of those people that is just incredible in the national team setup, and he’s someone that we want to have with us and to help us going forward,” Hudson said.

» READ MORE: DaMarcus Beasley calls for Gregg Berhalter to go from the U.S. men’s national team

Goalkeepers (3): Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati), Sean Johnson (unattached), Gabriel Slonina (Chelsea, England)

Defenders (8): Jonathan Gómez (Real Sociedad, Spain), Julian Gressel (Vancouver Whitecaps), DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution), Aaron Long (Los Angeles FC), Jalen Neal (Los Angeles Galaxy), Sam Rogers (Rosenborg, Norway), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

Midfielders (6): Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew), Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas), Alan Soñora (unattached), Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers)

Forwards (7): Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Matthew Hoppe (Middlesbrough, England), Emmanuel Sabbi (Odense, Denmark), Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati), Alejandro Zendejas (Club América, Mexico)