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Jurgen Klinsmann U.S. January camp focuses on young players

U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann on Wednesday named a young roster for the Americans' annual, month-long, year-opening training camp in Carson, California, that will conclude with friendlies there against Iceland on Jan. 31 and five days later versus Canada.

With most European leagues in the middle of their seasons and the fixtures falling outside of FIFA dates, the 23-man squad, which has an average age of just over 24, is limited mostly to domestic-based players or those out of contract.

U.S. regulars Jozy Altidore, Matt Besler and captain Michael Bradley were selected, as were 2015 MLS standouts Ethan Finlay, Tony Tchani (both of Columbus Crew SC) and Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls) -- all of whom received their first call-up under Klinsmann.

The Crew's Wil Trapp will also return to camp after earning his first cap last January.

At 34, midfielder Jermaine Jones was the oldest player picked, but there was no place for fellow 30-somethings and 2014 World Cup vets Kyle Beckerman, Clint Dempsey or Chris Wondolowski, although several experienced players -- Beckerman, Wondolowski and Brad Evans among them -- are on standby and could be added later, according to a team spokesman.

"This will be more of an identification camp and a development camp," Klinsmann said in a press release. "We want to give those players a head start into their very busy year 2016, but we also want to make it clear to them that it's a huge opportunity that you have here to understand what it takes to step it up and to become an international-level player."

Klinsmann has said he would use the January camp to prepare both the senior team for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala, as well as the under-23 side for their Olympic playoff against Colombia.

The squad includes both 2015 U.S .Soccer Player of the Year (Michael Bradley) and 2015 U.S. Soccer Youth Male Player of the Year (Matt Miazga).

Full U.S. roster: 

Goalkeepers: Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)

Defenders: Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Eric Miller (Montreal Impact), Tim Parker (Vancouver Whitecaps), Marc Pelosi (San Jose Earthquakes), Matt Polster (Chicago Fire)

Midfielders: Fatai Alashe (San Jose Earthquakes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Mix Diskerud (NYC FC), Jermaine Jones (Out of contract), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution), Tony Tchani (Crew SC), Wil Trapp (Crew SC)

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Jerome Kiesewetter (Stuttgart), Jordan Morris (Unattached), Khiry Shelton (NYC FC), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy), Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew SC)

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