Patrick Agyemang’s season-ending harm has not solely dominated the American striker out of this summer season’s FIFA World Cup, but additionally opened the door for 2 different forwards to step into his place.
Josh Sargent and Brian White are the main candidates to switch the injured Agyemang in Mauricio Pochettino’s pecking order, with the U.S. males’s nationwide workforce two months away from starting its summer season schedule. Agyemang was dominated out for the rest of Derby County’s EFL Championship marketing campaign, in addition to the World Cup after he suffered a severe Achilles harm on Monday.
Whereas Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Haji Wright are the main trio amongst USMNT strikers, Sargent and White aren’t formally dominated out of competition simply but.
Sargent made the transfer to Toronto FC from Norwich Metropolis in February and not too long ago scored his first purpose for the membership. The 26-year-old additionally assisted as soon as in Saturday’s 3-2 win over the Colorado Rapids, incomes Man of the Match honors within the course of.
Though Sargent hasn’t scored a USMNT purpose since February 2019, the veteran ahead has earned 4 caps underneath Pochettino. He has roughly seven weeks of MLS motion earlier than Pochettino names his World Cup roster and will very nicely be within the combine, particularly if both Balogun, Pepi, or Wright endure an unexpected harm.
As for Brian White, he could be fifth on the depth chart if the World Cup began at this time.
The 30-year-old has scored 5 objectives in six MLS appearances this spring, whereas additionally that includes 4 extra occasions in CONCACAF Champions Cup play. White debuted for the USMNT again in January 2024 and has since earned seven caps throughout Pochettino’s reign as head coach.
White’s lone USMNT purpose to this point got here in a 3-0 pleasant win over Costa Rica in early 2025 whereas he’s additionally featured in opposition to Switzerland, Turkey, and Canada.
With Agyemang’s bodily presence now gone, White is essentially the most likeliest to copy that physicality if he’s referred to as in.
Just like Sargent, White has seven weeks to remain match, keep injury-free, and preserve racking up the objectives for Vancouver.
Whereas it’s unlikely both Sargent or White power Balogun, Pepi, or Wright to overlook out of the World Cup, accidents are very doable down the ultimate stretch of the European season.