The 20-year-old attacker could make his senior international debut in Friday’s friendly against Cuba in Havana.
Speaking in a Facebook Q&A, US national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has heaped praise on Sunderland youngster Lynden Gooch after handing the versatile forward his first senior call-up.
Gooch, 20, is currently enjoying a breakout season at the Stadium of Light under David Moyes’ guidance, having made six starts in seven total appearances for the Black Cats since surprisingly being named in the line-up for the narrow 2-1 defeat at Manchester City on the opening day of the campaign.
The American playmaker, who joined Sunderland’s academy back in 2012, had previously only made one first-team appearance for the club as a second-half substitute in last season’s 6-3 League Cup win over Exeter City, but he has certainly not looked out of place at the top-flight level so far.
While Moyes’ men currently sit bottom of the table with just two points from seven games, the California native has been one of the team’s few bright spots and quickly endeared himself to supporters with his creativity, direct running and impressive work rate.
His lively performances ultimately proved enough to earn him his first senior USA call-up on the weekend for the team’s upcoming friendlies against Cuba and New Zealand, respectively, and Klinsmann is now hoping to see the former Under-20 international seize his opportunity and make a lasting impression during his time with the squad.
“I had a good long talk with David Moyes from Sunderland about Lynden,” Klinsmann said during his Q&A when asked why he called up Gooch. “He’s a very promising young player. We are really thrilled he’s breaking through one step at a time. Some games he starts from beginning, some games he comes off the bench, and we are thrilled about that.
“So far he’s doing really well and therefore he were now happy to have with us for the first time. We will now watch him in every training session and hopefully we can give him minutes in these two friendlies.”
Gooch predominantly played as a striker for Sunderland’s Under-21s over the previous two seasons, but his versatility means he can line up in any number of attacking positions or even deeper in midfield.
The diminutive forward, who spent part of last term on loan at Doncaster Rovers, has already been used in several roles by Moyes through the opening stages of the campaign, and Klinsmann believes that trait could prove extremely useful to his US side going forward.
“The good thing is that he can play several position,” the German added on Gooch. “Sometimes he plays on the left of midfield, sometimes he plays inside. He’s very dynamic, he’s very calm on the ball and he has no fear, so this is very big for a young player like him because in the Premier League they challenge you.”
Gooch’s first opportunity to make his USA debut will come on Friday afternoon when Klinsmann’s team face Cuba at the Estadio Pedro Marrero in Havana for the first friendly match on Cuban soil since 1947.
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