USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner is returning to Major League Soccer with the New England Revolution, the club announced on Friday.
Turner’s career has been plunged into uncertainty after French side Lyon purchased the USMNT goalkeeper for a reported $9.1 million from Nottingham Forest, before financial instability saw Lyon forcibly relegated. To save funds, the Ligue 1 side attempted to cancel the transfer.
While Lyon have been able to stay in France’s top league after replacing previous maligned president John Textor with Michelle Kang, L’Équipe notes they have been unable to cancel the transfer and are now looking for other options.
Now, the club has been able to send Turner back to the the Revolution, the club where he first became a star in MLS in 2016 and where he won Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021 and earned a transfer to Arsenal, on a loan before he can take on preseason with the club.
Although the move could be seen as a step down, it comes at a critical time in Turner’s career, where he simply needs to play games. Meanwhile, the opportunity to come back to a familiar club where he will play—and one that needs help—like the Revolution, is valuable.
Last season, while on loan to Crystal Palace, he only played in three competitive matches, all in cup competitions. Before that, he struggled for playing time with Forest and Arsenal, and most recently surrendered his starting USMNT role to New York City FC’s Matt Freese.
“I think it’s true that [Turner is] not playing and we were talking with him and we translate the idea that for the future, in one year time, I think he needs to find the way to compete every week,” USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino said in June following the Gold Cup.
Joining Other USMNT Goalkeepers in MLS
Turner joins the Revolution as a Designated Player for the rest of the season, as he continues with a lavish contract signed with Lyon. However, his roster designation could be changed to a TAM player in the future.
"When the opportunity arose to bring Matt Turner back to the Revolution, we were glad to act swiftly to welcome one of the most talented players ever to represent the club," said Revolution sporting director Curt Onalfo.
"Matt’s talent and leadership will make our squad stronger now and in the future. We look forward to having Matt and his family back in New England."
Yet, the most significant benefit for the USMNT will be assessing goalkeepers, now that each of the starting options is in MLS and playing against near-identical competition, albeit in differing setups.
Freese has continued to stand out with NYCFC, and the same goes for Patrick Schulte with the Columbus Crew, Zack Steffen with the Colorado Rapids and Roman Celentano with FC Cincinnati, among several others.
Currently, the Revolution’s starting goalkeeper is Aljaž Ivačič, and the club sits 11th in the Eastern Conference with 10 matches remaining as they try to erase a 10-point gap that currently sees them missing the MLS Cup Playoffs for the third time in four seasons.
READ THE LATEST USMNT NEWS, REACTION AND ANALYSIS
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Matt Turner: USMNT Goalkeeper Returns to MLS .
