There's a long list of Americans who have left Major League Soccer for a career in Europe, and according to reports, New York Red Bulls defender Aaron Long could be the next man on that list.
The 28-year-old is rumoured to be on the radar of a number of different English sides.
Reading, Southampton and West Ham have all been linked. However, it is a report suggesting he could sign a short-term loan to help alleviate the defensive injury crisis at Premier League champions Liverpool that has turned the most heads.
Let's take a closer look at Long.
Key facts
Age: 28
Nationality: American
Club: New York Red Bulls
Trophies: MLS Supporters' Shield 2018
Individual honours: MLS All Star 2018, MLS Defender of the Year 2018, MLS Best XI 2018, Gold Cup Best XI 2019
international caps: 18 (3 goals)
1. He was a midfielder when he turned pro
Not only did Long successfully transition into a centre-back, but he took MLS by storm.
His first minute in the league came in March 2017, and by the end of 2018, he was widely seen as one of the finest defenders the division had to offer.
Long was named as the 2018 MLS Defender of the Year, before finishing sixth in the voting in 2019. Not bad for someone who had only been playing that role for a few years at the time.
3. European sides have long been keen
One thing that those who have watched Long all agree on is that his one-on-one defending is the skill that puts him on another level.
Combining his outstanding anticipation with above-average athleticism, Long knows how to position his body to neutralise defenders, and it's earned him a reputation as a nightmare to play against.
Long is also seen as real menace in the air. His ability to outmuscle attackers is clear to see, and it also makes him an asset from set-pieces.
8. He was an Arsenal fan growing up
Long rarely hides his affinity towards Arsenal, and you'll regularly find him reminiscing about his childhood as a Gooner.
"I was an Arsenal supporter so I really liked Patrick Vieira, so that was kind of my guy," Long said (via Goal). "He was just a destroyer. Against the ball he was unbelievable, winning the ball back, and then, with the ball, he could make the game pretty. It was one of those things he could do both sides of the ball and do it for, in my opinion, one of the best teams in the world."
However, his idol was not from Arsenal, but rather former Fulham star and fellow American Carlos Bocanegra.
9. USA Captain?
Several of the reports about Liverpool's potential interest in Long cite the defender as the USA team captain.
The centre back has led the USMNT in four games to date, though the honour of captaining the team has moved around a lot of late.
DeAndre Yedlin, Wil Trapp, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Ream and Zack Steffen have all also been handed the armband in the last five years.
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Source : 90min