MLSsoccer.com senior editor Ben Couch highlighted Major League Soccer's forwards that are next in line for a potential U.S. Men's National Team call-up — especially after earning U.S. citizenship and eligibility. Among Couch's top-3 listed in his View from Couchcolumn following the close of Week 6 of the MLS regular season was Crew SC's newly acquired human-highlight reel Kekuta Manneh.
Check out Couch's commentary:
On a similar path, though not quite all the way to eligibility island, is Columbus Crew SC speedster Kekuta Manneh, who also earned his citizenship earlier this year.
Yet Manneh, without help, won't be an option until near the end of the calendar year; a FIFA regulation requires naturalized citizens to have lived in the country they represent for five years after their 18th birthday, and Manneh turns 23 December 30. The waiver application has been submitted, but with no set timeline for an approval, eligibility could come quickly … or not at all.
Though his 2016 campaign was injury-shortened, Manneh's tallied 22 goals and 12 assists in 101 MLS appearances (62 starts). ...
Check out Couch's full View from Couch column here.
Manneh has yet to make his Crew SC debut, which could come as early as this Saturday when the Black & Gold return home for the first leg of the Trillium Cup against Toronto FC on April 15 for an 8 p.m. kickoff at MAPFRE Stadium.
