The start of the preseason offers the opportunity for young players to progress through the ranks with their respective clubs, as new coaches look to evaluate the prospects within the club prior to the start of the campaign. 

For a number of U.S.-eligible players this time is a chance to prove themselves in front of important eyes with the season on the horizon. 

Mukwelle Akale debuts with Villarreal B

The maestro from Minnesota made his debut with Villarreal B on July 23rd. Akale started the game and played the first half in a friendly against Rayo Vallecano’s first team. Villarreal lost the game 3-2. 

Akale has been a star of various youth teams for Villarreal. He also trained with the B team last season on a couple of occasions. The visionary attacking talent was part of a number of youth players to earn a spot with the B side during the preseason game. Villarreal B continues its preseason efforts on Wednesday with a game against FC Porto. 

Brooks Lennon with Liverpool

U.S. U20 Men’s National Team forward Brooks Lennon has been playing with the Liverpool U21 side during the preseason. Lennon scored a goal on Sunday in Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Rhyl FC (Wales). Lennon, 18 years old, looks to be a favorite to get the majority of the minutes with the Liverpool U21 side this season after making seven appearances with the team last season. 

CCV in Spurs first team 

U.S. U23 Men’s National Team defender Cameron Carter-Vickers started and played the full 90 minutes on Tuesday in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 loss to Juventus in the International Champions Cup in Melbourne, Australia. 

U.S. Men’s National Team defender DeAndre Yedlin played in the second half in the preseason game. Yedlin and Carter-Vickers partnered to shut out Juventus during the second half of the game. 

Luca de la Torre with the first team 

U.S. U20 Men’s National Team midfielder Luca de la Torre started and played 76 minutes in Fulham’s penultimate preseason game against Nacional (Portugal) on Monday. The 18-year-old has been a part of Fulham’s preseason from the start and looks to be in line for a role with the first team this season. 

Gedion Zelalem against the All Stars

U.S. midfielder Gedion Zelalem was named to the Arsenal squad that is in the U.S. this month for a pair of preseason friendlies. Zelalem was one of 23 players named to the traveling squad for the games against the MLS All Star team and Chivas. Zelalem could feature on Thursday when Arsenal squares off against the All Star group from the domestic league. 

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