CHICAGO — Indiana Vassilev, a former player for Aston Villa, has been selected for a U.S. training camp as the national team prepares for upcoming friendly matches against Venezuela and Costa Rica. This event marks an opportunity for 10 players, including Vassilev, to possibly earn their first cap with the national team.

Vassilev began his career with Aston Villa, making his first appearance in the FA Cup on January 4, 2020, against Fulham, followed by his Premier League debut just two weeks later against Brighton. At the age of 18 years, 11 months, and 2 days, he became the second-youngest American to play in the Premier League, behind Jonathan Spector, who was 18 years, 5 months at the time of his debut in 2004.

Included in the 24-man roster by coach Mauricio Pochettino are veterans Walker Zimmerman and Jesús Ferreira, both of whom last played for the U.S. national team in 2023. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen also returns after sitting out since his last appearance in March 2022. Significant experience on the roster comes from 37-year-old defender Tim Ream, who has served as captain in recent matches, along with fellow defenders Miles Robinson and Shaq Moore.

Notably, no players based in Europe were selected for the matches against Venezuela on January 18 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Costa Rica on January 22 in Orlando, as these games fall outside the official FIFA international window. Players who compete in Europe are expected to rejoin the squad for the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against Panama on March 20.

Indiana Vassilev, who hails from Savannah, Georgia, has Bulgarian roots. He developed his skills at the IMG Academy in Florida before signing with Aston Villa in 2018. Vassilev represented the United States in the 2017 Under-17 World Cup alongside teammates Josh Sargent and Tim Weah.

During his tenure at Aston Villa, Vassilev played in four Premier League matches during the 2019-20 season but did not feature for the first team in subsequent seasons. He was loaned out to clubs such as Burton Albion and Cheltenham Town, and more recently spent time with Inter Miami in July 2021 before being picked up by St. Louis following the 2022 season.

Walker Zimmerman, aged 31, last appeared for the national team during the CONCACAF Nations League final against Canada on June 18, 2023, while Jesús Ferreira, 24, hasn’t played since the Gold Cup semifinal against Panama on July 12, 2023. Zack Steffen, now 29, was surprisingly left off the roster for the 2022 World Cup and has not represented the U.S. since March 2022. His return comes after Pochettino’s appointment as head coach, although Matt Turner has started all four previous matches since then.

The majority of the roster consists of 23 MLS players, and it includes Matko Miljevic, a 23-year-old midfielder whose impressive performances could lead to his national team debut. Miljevic played for Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina last year and has prior experience with the U.S. under-20 team, while also being eligible to represent Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia.

Miljevic was previously with Montreal, but his contract was terminated by MLS on September 18, 2023, due to conduct considered detrimental to the league, with no further details provided.

Besides Vassilev and Miljevic, several other players will be attending their first U.S. national team camp, including defender George Campbell and midfielders Max Arfsten, Emeka Eneli, alongside forwards Patrick Agyemang and Brian Gutiérrez. Additionally, three players who have participated in previous camps—goalkeepers Drake Callender and Matt Freese, and forward Caden Clark—might also make their debut.

The roster comprises:

**Goalkeepers:** Drake Callender (Miami), Matt Freese (New York City), Patrick Schulte (Columbus), Zack Steffen (Colorado)

**Defenders:** Max Arfsten (Columbus), George Campbell (Montreal), DeJuan Jones (Columbus), Shaq Moore (Dallas), Jalen Neal (Montreal), Tim Ream (Charlotte), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville)

**Midfielders:** Benjamin Cremaschi (Miami), Emeka Eneli (Salt Lake), Diego Luna (Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia)

**Forwards:** Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte), Caden Clark (Montreal), Jesús Ferreira (Dallas), Brian Gutiérrez (Chicago), Matko Miljevic (no club), Indiana Vassilev (St. Louis), Brian White (Vancouver).