Varas named interim coach for USA’s friendlies against Canada, New Zealand; Pochettino deal yet to be announced

Mikey Varas picked a 24-man roster that includes Barcelona youth system goalkeeper Diego Kochen and Standard Liege defender Marlon Fossey, who have not played for the national team.

File photo: Christian Pulisic is part of the 24-man squad for the friendlies while Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie were excluded due to injury and club duties respectively. | Photo Credit: AP

Assistant Mikey Varas will be the interim USA coach for exhibitions against Canada and New Zealand while a deal hasn’t been announced for Mauricio Pochettino to succeed Gregg Berhalter.

Varas on Sunday picked a 24-man roster that includes Barcelona youth system goalkeeper Diego Kochen and Standard Liege defender Marlon Fossey, who have not played for the national team.

Injured players who will miss the matches include right back Sergiño Dest, midfielder Tyler Adams and winger Tim Weah. Defenders Antonee Robinson and Cameron Carter-Vickers and midfielder Weston McKennie were bypassed to remain with their clubs.

USA plays Canada on Saturday at Kansas City, Kansas, then faces New Zealand three days later at Cincinnati.

Berhalter was fired on July 10, a week after the Americans were eliminated in the first round of the Copa America. The US Soccer Federation began negotiations more than two weeks ago with Pochettino, a former Tottenham and Chelsea manager.

Varas is a former Dallas assistant and was coach of the US under-20 team from November 2021 until August 2023, when he became one of Berhalter’s assistants. The 41-year-old led the US to the 2022 CONCACAF title, earning USMNT’s first Olympic berth since 2008, and to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Under-20 World Cup, where it lost to Uruguay 2-0.

The USSF said its plan had been for Varas to run the team in the September games. Two previous Berhalter assistants became interim coaches last year: Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan.

Six players on the roster were not with the US at the Copa America: Kochen, Fossey, goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, defenders Auston Trusty and Caleb Wiley, and midfielder Aidan Morris.

Goalkeeper Matt Turner was included after going on loan Friday from Nottingham Forest to Crystal Palace.

In selecting Schulte and Kochen, Varas bypassed Colorado’s Zack Steffen, who hasn’t played for the Americans since their final World Cup qualifier in March 2022. Schulte and Tim Ream, who transferred to Charlotte from Fulham, are the only players from Major League Soccer.

Nico Estévez will be an assistant coach following his firing as Dallas’ head coach in June and USSF head of goalkeeping Jack Robinson will be the goalkeeping coach.

The squad:

Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Cardiff), Diego Kochen (Barcelona II), Patrick Schulte (Columbus), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace).

Defenders: Auston Trusty (Celtic), Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Caleb Wiley (Strasbourg).

Midfielders: Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven).

Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Josh Sargent (Norwich), Haji Wright (Coventry).