The United States men's national team will play the March CONCACAF Nations League matches without injured Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams but with Borussia Dortmund winger Giovanni Reyna, along with 12 other players from European club rosters, U.S. Soccer said Wednesday.
The matches at Grenada on March 24 and against El Salvador three days later at Orlando, Florida, are the first in the FIFA international window for the USMNT post-World Cup.
This will also be the first inclusion since the World Cup for Reyna, who was the subject of recent U.S. Soccer controversy between his parents, Danielle and Claudio Reyna, and out-of-contract coach Gregg Berhalter. Reyna was not included in the 24-player January camp roster.
Interim manager Anthony Hudson said he has visited Reyna in Germany recently and the 20-year-old was eager to return to the roster.
"We had the issue at the World Cup that we dealt with internally, we dealt with as a group," he told reporters during a news conference following the roster announcement.
"There was a really positive response from Gio after that, and then the World Cup ended. Beyond that, it became a very, very complex situation, that looking at it, we see separate from Gio, even though he's impacted by it.
"From then it's been a case of visiting him in Germany. I went over to see him a little while ago. We had a good meeting, and then we've spoken a few times since. I spoke to him this week. He's in a good place. He's determined to come back in and do well and help the team."
U.S. Soccer said on Monday that Berhalter can contend for the open USMNT coaching job after an investigation into allegations of domestic violence against him made by Reyna's parents.
The investigation also found a need for U.S. Soccer to "revisit U.S. Soccer's policies concerning appropriate parental conduct and communications."
Hudson, who was an assistant to Berhalter during the World Cup, said Wednesday that he has not had any contact with Claudio or Danielle Reyna during his time on staff.
"Honestly, I never felt any sort of resistance [from Gio] to coming back," he added. "Obviously, this is a young guy who has been through a lot."
Adams picked up a hamstring injury, a USMNT spokesperson said. Adams played 90 minutes in Leeds' 2-2 draw last weekend against Brighton & Hove Albion, and the club confirmed the injury in a statement, saying: "The midfielder will remain at Thorp Arch for further assessment."
Hudson said the decision about injured players was made "in the best interest of the player and to do our best to ensure they are available for us this summer."
"It's unfortunate about Tyler," Hudson said. "He is such an important player to us, our captain, and he did an incredible job at the World Cup and improving every time we see him in the Premier League.
"So, it was disappointing news that we can't have him. However, it does open up an opportunity for someone else to back him up, to come in and have a go at that position."
Chelsea's Christian Pulisic leads all players on the roster with 56 caps and is among the 13 World Cup returnees from European clubs. The roster also includes Fulham players Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson as well as Leeds' Brenden Aaronson and Weston McKennie. Luca de la Torre, Sergiño Dest, Ethan Horvath, Yunus Musah, Joe Scally and Matt Turner were also included.
Dual national Alejandro Zendejas was added to the roster one day after committing to the USMNT over Mexico.
The 25-year-old forward made his U.S. debut in a Jan. 25 exhibition against Serbia but remained eligible to ask FIFA for a one-time switch of affiliation to Mexico.
"I think it's great for the team," Hudson said of the inclusion of Zendejas. "Alex certainly adds more quality and depth to the squad. He's someone that really impressed us all in January, and we've obviously seen a lot of him playing for his club. We are really pleased he has agreed to join us. We see it as being a great addition to the team going forward."
Atlanta United center back Miles Robinson is returning to the USMNT for the first time after recovering from a torn Achilles tendon suffered last May.
Hudson said 19-year-old Wolfsburg left back Kevin Paredes is close to being called in and the American staff has been talking with Folarin Balogun, a 21-year-old forward eligible to play for the U.S., England and Nigeria. Balogun is fourth in France's Ligue 1 this season with 14 goals for Reims, on a loan from Arsenal.
"There is open dialogue with him and his team," Hudson said. "That dialogue is continuing."
USMNT ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB/COUNTRY; CAPS/GOALS)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Luton Town/ENG; 8/0), Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough/ENG; 29/0), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 24/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Sergiño Dest (AC Milan/ITA; 23/2), Mark McKenzie (Genk/BEL; 10/0), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 50/1), Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo/BEL; 2/0), Antonee Robinson (Fulham; 33/2), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 20/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 3/0), Auston Trusty (Birmingham City/ENG; 0/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 28/6), Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; 4/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 12/0), Weston McKennie (Leeds United/ENG; 41/9), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 23/0), Alan Soñora (Juárez/MEX; 2/0)
FORWARDS (7): Taylor Booth (Utrecht/NED; 0/0), Daryl Dike (West Bromwich Albion/ENG; 8/3), Ricardo Pepi (Groningen/NED; 12/3), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 56/22), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 16/4), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 29/4), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 1/0)
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.