RIGHT NOW, there are a lot of American players playing on loan and this means there is a lot of movement on the horizon. Where these players go next – either returning to their parent club, staying at their existing club, or moving to another club on a loan or transfer remains to be seen.

What is interesting is that many of the players out on loan now are key national team players or youth national team players. So, their situation can best be described as being in flux.

The life of a loaned player is never easy. For young players, they often have to be much better than the existing players to play because otherwise, teams are just going to want to give valuable minutes to their existing players to aid in their development. An option to buy, however, changes that.

Here is a look at the loaned players, how they are performing, the specifics of their situation, and what could be next for them.

Daryl Dike

Daryl Dike is the talk of the Championship right now. Dike arrived at Barnsley seven games ago and Barnsley has won all seven games for a perfect 21 points. That run has moved it from midtable all the way into the promotional playoff spots. Dike has scored three goals in his seven games and all three have come in different ways – the first was a nice run to take a through-ball, the next was a header, and most recently it was unbelievable rocket into the top corner.

Dike, 20, has surpassed expectations and with every game, it seems like he won’t be back in Orlando. There is debate about his buyout provision. The Orlando Sentinel said $20 million but some reports in England said much lower. Regardless of what it is, Barnsley isn’t going to be able to afford they buyout. The only way Barnsley comes into the picture is if another club comes in with an offer over the buyout provision, Barnsley buys him and immediately sells him to make a profit on the difference. It’s hard to see him playing at Barnsley after this season, even if they’re promoted. They are a “moneyball” team co-owned by Billy Beane. They look for undervalued players who can perform well. Buying expensive players isn’t it – and Dike would probably require a value four times higher than their previous highest-ever purchase.

Orlando isn’t going to sell him cheaply, and for good reason. For one, they want to maximize potential. Second, there is every reason to think that Dike is a critical piece on an improved and well-coached team (Oscar Pareja is among the best in the league) team that could compete for MLS Cup this year.

Also, there are good forwards out there but Dike’s 6’1”, 220 pound-frame are tough to replicate. When he shows skill and athleticism behind that size, someone is going to want to take a bite thinking of his upside.

It comes down to affordability and the number of teams that can enter the market. It’s unlikely to be a Championship team. It would mostly likely have to be a Premier League team or Bundesliga, Serie A, or La Liga team with cash. Covid-19 has made every team tighten their belts. Dike probably isn’t a first-choice striker on a stable Premier League team – yet. So can a team pay close or above eight figures for a non-starter in this market.

Dike is still going to need to score some more goals to make that happen. Otherwise, there is a chance Orlando brings him back for a title run and tries to sell again in the winter. Still, it’s tough to be against Dike right now. He’s motivated and scoring and the best bet is he finds a top-tier team (likely the Premier League) who makes it happen.

Chris Richards

Another player who is exceeding all expectations on loan is Chris Richards at Hoffenheim. Sent there on loan from Bayern Munich, Richards has immediately walked into the team’s starting lineup and brought stability into a what was a leaky defense before he arrived. Hoffenheim has played better since Richards arrived and is coming of a quality 2-1 win over third-place Wolfsburg over the weekend and Richards was the best defender in the game over the course of the 90 minutes.

This loan was very well-thought out as manager Sebastian Hoeneß previously worked with Richards when he managed Bayern Munich’s U-23 team and that relationship and trust carried over into this loan.

Richards has a very high ceiling and it certainly possible he can compete for regular minutes at Bayern Munich. But Bayern is the reigning European Champions and they have the highest standards in the world. That’s possible for Richards at some point, but the question is next year? Maybe not yet. To get to Bayern’s starting lineup, that might require another loan. A move back to Bayern to be a backup might be counterproductive. Richards is a top youth player at the club, but will Bayern buy more defenders this summer?

Hoffenheim might be a great place for him to stay in 21/22 but that might come down to Hoffenheim still needing him or would they have a preference to finding a young player of their own to develop as a long-term option.

Richards is improving every week, and maybe he does go back to Bayern to compete for a starting job at the best team in the world. Richards is very good and at some point, that could be a reality for him. For now, I think another loan in the Bundesliga is the most likely option in 2021/22, and perhaps that’s with Hoffenheim.

Erik Palmer-Brown

Owned by Manchester City, Erik Palmer-Brown’s loan stints have taken him to Kortrijk, NAC Breda, and now Austria Vienna. While he was at Kanas City, he spent a loan spell at Porto B. He has spent most of his career on loan.

His current season at Austria Vienna is going well. Over the past weekend he is coming off his best game of the season in the Vienna Derby in a 0-0 draw with Rapid. That might do enough to get him into the national team camp in March (partly taking place in Austria). That would be another boost in his resume.

Palmer-Brown won’t return to Manchester City and he’s outgrown Austria Vienna (he will have been there 18 months come June). So he’s moving on and he’s almost certain to remain in Europe. There should be a lot of possibilities. A return to the Eredivisie or Belgium’s Pro League is possible but at much higher level that NAC Breda or Kortrijk. To break into a major league like Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, Serie A, or La Liga, he is going to need to perform lights-out the remainder of the season. If he goes to the 2.Bundesliga or Championship (the two second division leagues that make the most sense), it would have be to a promotion contender.

Next month, Palmer-Brown turns 24 and he’s played across Europe. He’s experienced a lot but needs to look hard to find a challenge outside of a middle-European team that hovers in midtable. It’s too early to make a prediction because these upcoming months are critical.

Jordan Siebatcheu

Unwanted at Rennes, Siebatcheu was sent on loan to reigning Swiss champs BSC Young Boys. Initially he did not get much playing time but starting in December, he did. The results have been terrific as he now has nine Super League goals since December and another three in the Europa League – all against Bayer Leverkusen. BSC Young Boys is cruising to another title and Siebatcheu has played a role.

What’s next for the Washington, DC-born forward?

His initial contract with Rennes was signed in June, 2018 and was for five years – through 2023. This was on the heels of an expensive, near eight figure transfer from Reims. He never broke through with Rennes and the club sent him to BSC Young Boys with an option to buy.

The price of option to buy isn’t known but Siebatcheu has done enough to give himself plenty of options for 2021/2022 and he almost certainly isn’t returning to Rennes. Returning to BSC Young Boys makes sense but if the buyout is too expensive, they’ll find someone who can afford it, and then force an immediate sale to pocket the difference. My guess, however, is that he returns to Young Boys for a Champions League push and then gets sold next winter if unsuccessful.

Uly Llanez

To say Uly Llanez’s loan from Wolfsburg to Heerenveen has not gone well would be an understatement. He managed just five games and 90 minutes of action in the Eredivisie. The loan has resulted in a lost year for Llanez and now he has less of a track record to go to get a better loan. In January, Llanez left Heerenveen to return home for a private matter and now he is training with the U.S. U-23 team. The likelihood that he returns to Heerenveen seems very remote at this point.

Prior to joining Heerenveen, Llanez signed a long-term extension with Wolfsburg that would presumably take his salary above the Eredivise non-EU minimum. So, he is an expensive player right now.

At this point, Wolfsburg need him to play because another lost season would be a severe blow to his development and Wolfsburg isn’t the best place to ensure that. If Llanez could return to MLS, would the Galaxy take him? Would another team in the league take him?

Staying within Europe, Llanez would probably have to go to a smaller team in the 2.Bundesliga, Denmark, or elsewhere in Scandinavia. But if the reports of homesickness are true, that might not be the answer. No matter where he goes, Wolfsburg will pay a lot of his salary (or buy him out and release him) and Llanez will need to seek a place where he can finally play.

Paul Arriola

Paul Arriola joined Swansea City on loan for the remainder of the English Championship and it was hard to expect much from this loan. He played in just one game for DC United in 2020 due to a torn ACL and has since played in two friendlies for the U.S. team. Joining Swansea City, Arriola walked into a team that was playing well and contending for promotion into the Premier League.

Arriola, 26, is one of the hardest workers in U.S. player pool and might still grow into a role at Swansea City. The most likely scenario is that he returns to DC United a better player and ready to contribute as soon as he arrives.

Taylor Booth

While Taylor Booth, 19, was struggling for minutes at Bayern Munich’s U-23 team, he joined mid-table St. Poelten in the Austrian Bundesliga to finally get some first team minutes. That loan has paid off massively and the Utah native has two assists and a goal in his first three games. These have been important steps for Booth who dealing with the disappointment of the U-20 World Cup having been cancelled. He has set a nice floor for himself to start his career and this is a platform for him to build.

Booth isn’t going to compete for a spot at Bayern Munich anytime soon but he shouldn’t be part of the U-23 team either. He should play first team soccer. Assuming he continues to play well in Austria, he sets himself up for a more challenging loan – perhaps in Belgium, the Eredivisie, or even Italy. His Italian passport opens doors.

Booth’s performances so far have helped him immensely and in 2021/22 we should see him take on a loan in a bigger league. His career is trending up and this current loan has been a smart move. 

Cameron Carter-Vickers

The American central defender is only 23 but is currently on loan from Tottenhem for the sixth time – all to clubs in the English Championship. This current loan to AFC Bournemouth at least has him on a promotional contender as the club is trying to sneak back into the promotional playoff and is just one point out.

This is the final year of Carter-Vicker’s contract and he will be free from Tottenham and free to find a club where he can establish roots and grow. Staying with Bournemouth seems like a good bet regardless of where the club ends up next season. If not, it’s hard to see Carter-Vickers going outside of the Championship. He is such a known player in that league and teams are the money would make sense because he’s a starter in this league – while a backup in the Premier League right now.

His last two loans, Luton Town, and Bournemouth have both been very successful – so his career is trending upward.

Matt Miazga

The New Jersey native has had a strong season in central defense for Anderlecht where he has played well under Vincent Kompany. The Chelsea loan army is tough and Miazga has played for Vitesse, Nantes, Reading, and now Anderlecht.

If he returns to Anderlecht next season, that wouldn’t be the worst thing but maybe now is the chance to make another stab at a top league (after Nantes was his only loan that didn’t work out well). Anderlecht could be that spring board.

This is another loan that is tough to predict and a lot will come down to the months ahead but Miazga remains ambitious and it seems like now is the best time for him to make a push.

Brandon Servania

Currently on loan at St. Poelten from FC Dallas, it is hard to see Brandon Servania not returning to FC Dallas this summer. He only made his debut over the last weekend and St. Poelten could likely never afford what Dallas would want. Servania would then have to crush it to gain another club’s attention and convince it to spend.

A veteran of the 2019 U.S. U-20 World Cup team, Servania is coming off a tough 2020 but last year was not the easiest year for players to succeed given the stop-start nature and the COVID outbreak at FC Dallas.

For now, the best thing would be for him to return back to Dallas in shape, confident, and ready to return back to his 2019 form.  

Tyler Boyd

Tyler Boyd, 26, is currently on loan from Besiktas to Sivasspor within the Turkish Super Lig. In June 2019 he signed a four-year deal for Besiktas that runs through the 2022/23 season.

Prior to going on loan with Sivasspor in January, Boyd time at Besiktas was rough. He was abruptly dropped from the team’s eligible roster due to foreign player limits within the league. When he became eligible again in January, he was loaned out.

It’s tough to envision much love or attachment Boyd and Besiktas have for one another. Sivasspor gives Boyd the opportunity to showcase himself and it seems likely that Besiktas would be happy to entertain offers and perhaps accept the highest bid.

Indiana Vassilev

It has been a real tough season for U.S. U-20 attacking midfielder Indiana Vassilev who made his Premier League debut for Aston Villa last season but was sent on loan to League One’s Burton Albion. That loan was terminated early in January since Vassilev did not play for the last-place team. He was then sent on loan to Cheltenham Town in League Two and Vassilev has simply been playing as a sub.

Perhaps things would be better if he is loaned during preseason and has time to build himself into a team. But he clearly needs to get things right in 2021/22. He might need a loan off England for a different approach. His Bulgarian passport helps but perhaps that can ship him to a lower level where he can simply play – like in Scandinavia, Denmark, or Austria.