BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — U.S. captain Tyler Adams, coming off a season at Bournemouth limited by injuries, was among 12 players who started training with the U.S. on Wednesday ahead of the Copa América.
The 25-year-old defensive midfielder played just one club match from March 2023 until this past March 13 because of a torn right hamstring that needed surgery. After returning to play two matches for Bournemouth in March, the midfielder was limited by back spasms to one game over the rest of the season, an 11-minute appearance on May 11.
“He’s looking fit,” U.S. assistant coach B.J. Callaghan said. “We’ve had a really great partnership with Bournemouth over the last couple of weeks, to make sure that we’ve developed a plan that’s going to allow him to maximize his performance here, throughout the friendlies and Copa.”
The U.S. has exhibitions against Colombia on June 8 and Brazil four days later, before first-round matches against Bolivia (June 23), Panama (June 27) and Uruguay (July 1).
Goalkeepers Matt Turner and Ethan Horvath, defenders Chris Richards and Joe Scally, midfielders Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman and Luca de la Torre, and forwards Brenden Aaronson, Folarin Balogun, Josh Sargent and Haji Wright also were at the first day of what will be the full player pool’s most extended training camp since the 2022 World Cup.
Callaghan said the goal is to “try to solidify a lot of the principles and identity that we want to play with.”
Fourteen more players are due to report by Sunday.
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