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All of the Current Americans in the Premier League

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When you think of the biggest men's soccer superstars, Americans might not be the first players that come to mind. That said, the U.S. Men's National Team is always popping up as a threat in international tournaments, and there are plenty of players who have garnered significant attention across the globe. Some of them now play in leagues outside the United States, including the esteemed Premier League.

Related: Teams Promoted to the Premier League in 2023

One of the top players in the United States, Christian Pulisic, was a recent example of an American player who had a strong impact on a European league team. Pulisic was transferred to AC Milan, a Serie A club, in early July. Before that he was a starting midfielder for Chelsea for four years.

Here's a list of the nine current American players who are on Premier League teams:

Antonee Robinson

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  • Hometown: Milton Keynes, England/White Plains, New York
  • Current Team: Fulham
  • Position: Left-Back

Though Antonee Robinson was born in England, his family is American and he was raised in White Plains, New York, making him a dual citizen. Robinson is a member of the United States Men's National Team, and is currently the starting left-back at Fulham. 

When Robinson was 11-years-old, he joined Everton’s academy and eventually became a full-time player, signing a scholarship with the club in 2013. He remained with Everton until the end of the 2017 season when he signed on loan with the Bolton Wanderers, and later moved to Wigan Athletic in 2019. After they were relegated from the Championship league, he signed with Fulham in the Premier League.

Matt Turner

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  • Hometown: Park Ridge, New Jersey
  • Current Team: Arsenal
  • Position: Goalkeeper

Matt Turner, a New Jersey native, had a progressive career as a keeper in the MLS. His MLS debut was in 2018, and his first All-Star season was in 2021. In the same year, he was named the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, the first New England Revolution player to win this award. In early 2022, it was announced that Turner signed with Arsenal on a three-year contract.

Chris Richards

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  • Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
  • Current Team: Crystal Palace
  • Position: Center Back

Chris Richards signed his first professional contract with FC Dallas in 2018. That same year, the club announced a partnership with FC Bayern, a German professional team. This created a pathway for players within each organization to play and be trained by coaches in different countries. He went on a 10-day trial with FC-Bayern, and eventually debuted with the senior team in Munich in 2018.

In 2022, he was transferred from FC Bayern and signed a five-year contract with Crystal Palace of the Premier League.

Gabriel Slonina

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  • Hometown: Addison, Illinois
  • Current Team: Chelsea
  • Position: Goalkeeper

In 2019, at just 14 years old, Gabriel Slonina became the second youngest player to sign with a club in Major League Soccer history., joining the Chicago Fire with whom he had been a part of the youth program for several years prior.

His professional debut with the team came in the summer of 2021 which made him the youngest starting goalkeeper in MLS history. Just a year later, in the summer of 2022, he signed with Chelsea. 

Though he was born and raised in America, his family is of Polish descent, and he is eligible to represent both the United States or Poland internationally. Slonina has expressed his preference to play for America, turning down his first offer from Poland to play for their senior national team. He has since been called to play for the United States senior team.

Tim Ream

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  • Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
  • Current Team: Fulham
  • Position: Defense

Tim Ream was a standout in the Midwest, receiving all sorts of honors as a high-school player before attending Saint Louis University where he was a starting defender. During college, he also played for the Chicago Fire Premier of the USL Premier Development League. His first professional contract was with the New York Red Bulls in 2010 where he was a finalist for the MLS Rookie of the Season.

During the offseason after the 2011 MLS season, Ream trained with the Bolton Wanderers who eventually made him a transfer offer that was accepted and made him a part of the team in early 2012 on a three-year contract. His contract was extended for three more years in 2014, but he was sold to Fulham the following year, signing a four year contract with the team.

Folarin Balogun

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  • Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
  • Current Team: Arsenal
  • Position: Striker

Folarin Balogun was born in New York City, but at the age of two, his family emigrated to London where he was raised. Balogun has been training with the Arsenal organization since he was nine years old, signing his first professional contract with them in 2019. In 2020, he was transferred to Brentford who were promoted to the Premier League in 2021. Boalogun has since re-signed with Arsenal starting in the 2023 season.

Auston Trusty

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  • Hometown: Media, Pennsylvania
  • Current Team: Arsenal (On loan to Birmingham City for 2022-2023) 
  • Position: Defense

Auston Trusty’s first contract was with the United Soccer League’s Philadelphia Union’s reserve affiliate, the Bethlehem Steel. There he played in 2016 while simultaneously playing collegiate soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

He played in the MLS with the Philadelphia Union and Colorado Rapids from 2016 through 2022 before signing with Arsenal in January of 2022, though he stayed on loan with the Colorado Rapids until the summer of 2022. He is currently on loan to Birmingham City for the 2022-2023 season.

Zack Steffan

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  • Hometown: Coatesville, Pennsylvania
  • Current Team: Manchester City
  • Position: Goalkeeper

Before Zack Steffan got to the Premier League, he played within the youth Philadelphia Union system and was the starting goalie for two seasons at the University of Maryland. He signed his contact with Manchester City at the end of 2018 and was immediately loaned to Fortuna Dusseldorf through 2020, before returning to Manchester City. Steffan was the staring goalkeeper in the 2021 EFL Cup Final, in which Manchester City defeated Tottenham Hotspur to win the League Cup.

Ethan Horvath

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  • Hometown: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
  • Current Team: Nottingham Forest
  • Position: Goalkeeper

Horvath was born and raised in Colorado where he excelled as a youth player. When he was 18, signed his first professional contract with a Norwegian club where he quickly became the starting goalkeeper. In 2017, he signed a four year contract with Club Brugge, a club from Belgium. His Premier League debut came in 2021 when Horvath was transferred to Nottingham Forest. He was put on loan to Luton Town, and shortly after helped lead them to be promoted to the Premier League.

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