Before we get started, digest this: One of American soccer’s best young attackers, Juan Agudelo, has not played a competitive match in five months. He is not injured or suspended; he just does not have a club.

Agudelo boasts 18 caps and two goals for the senior national team. He has four years of pro experience, most recently on loan to Utrecht, where he scored three goals in 14 appearances during the second half of the Dutch Eredivisie campaign. He went to the Netherlands because Stoke City failed to secure him a work permit in January 2014. A second attempt at a permit this spring failed as well, leading the Premier League club to cut ties and allow him to become a free agent this summer.

For a while, as he awaited a new home, Agudelo was staying in shape by training with third-division Orlando City.

Oguchi Onyewu is also unemployed, but the two-time World Cup defender is in a late stage of his career — unlike Agudelo, who turns 22 next month.

Agudelo was linked with Sporting Lisbon over the summer. The New England Revolution, which retained his MLS rights upon his departure from the league last winter, looked into reacquiring Agudelo before the roster deadline last month before landing Jermaine Jones, a prized addition. Early this year, Anderlecht was floating an 18-month deal worth $1.4 million for Agudelo. The latest rumbling has New York City FC, a 2015 MLS expansion side, angling for his services.

Another twist: He is apparently seeking to acquire an EU passport by buying property in Cyprus.

Agent Richard Motzkin, who has handled Agudelo’s account for more than a year, declined requests for comment.

The strange saga continues.

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A wrap-up of weekend performances by Americans playing in foreign leagues …

Of note: Several U.S. players not listed are competing in smaller leagues or with reserve squads overseas.

*Named to U-23 squad for Oct. 13 friendly at Brazil

ENGLAND

Premier League

Goalkeeper Tim Howard played 90 minutes in Everton’s 2-1 loss at Manchester United

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan and Aston Villa dropped their third straight by shutout, 2-0 to Manchester City

(After next weekend’s EPL break, Howard and Guzan will meet Oct. 18 at Goodison Park)

Forward Jozy Altidore was in the 18 but did not play in Sunderland’s 3-1 victory over Stoke City

Stoke City defender Geoff Cameron remains out after undergoing hernia surgery

Goalkeeper Brad Friedel was not in the 18 for Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory over Southampton

Goalkeeper Cody Cropper* was not in the 18 for Southampton

Championship

Defender Tim Ream went 90 at left back in Bolton’s 2-1 loss to 10-man Bournemouth

Bolton midfielder Stuart Holden continues to rehab a knee injury

Center back Zak Whitbread played 90 in Derby County’s 0-0 draw with Millwall

Midfielder Brek Shea, on loan from Stoke City, was not in the 18 for Birmingham City’s 1-1 draw at Charlton

Birmingham City defender-midfielder Jonathan Spector is out for 3 months with a torn thigh muscle

Defender Will Packwood* was in the 18 but did not play for Birmingham City

Midfielder Emerson Hyndman* was in the 18 but did not play in Fulham’s 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough

Eric Lichaj played 81 at left back in Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town

Reading midfielder Danny Williams remains sidelined as he rehabilitates a knee injury

Welsh-American outside back Adam Henley (20 years old, born in Tennessee) was in the 18 but did not play in Blackburn’s 0-0 draw with Huddersfield

GERMANY

Bundesliga

Fabian Johnson provided an early assist and played 70 minutes on the left wing during Moenchengladbach’s 1-1 draw with Mainz

Hamburg forward Julian Green, on loan from Bayern Munich, was not in the 18 (bruised ribs) for a 1-0 victory at Borussia Dortmund

Wing Joe Gyau was in the 18 but did not play for Borussia Dortmund

Timmy Chandler played the last 3 minutes on the right flank in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 3-2 victory over Cologne

Center back John Brooks was not in the 18 for Hertha Berlin’s 3-2 victory over Stuttgart

2. Bundesliga

RB Leipzig forward Terrence Boyd remains out with a knee injury

Alfredo Morales played 90 on the left wing in Ingolstadt’s 1-0 victory over Braunschweig

Forward Bobby Wood was in the 18 but did not play in 1860 Munich’s 2-0 loss at Aalen

German-American forward Andrew Wooten went the distance in Sandhausen’s 3-0 loss to FSV Frankfurt

FRANCE

Alejandro Bedoya played 90 on the right wing in Nantes’ 1-0 victory at Guingamp

NETHERLANDS

AZ Alkmaar forward Aron Johannsson remains sidelined with a groin injury

Rubio Rubin* played 90 in attacking midfield and assisted on goals in the 49th and 51st minutes during Utrecht’s 3-2 loss to Go Ahead Eagles

BELGIUM

Midfielder Sacha Kljestan was in the 18 but did not play in first-place Anderlecht’s x-x draw with Genk

NORWAY

Midfielder Mix Diskerud played 90 in Rosenborg’s 2-0 victory at Lillestrom

Midfielder Andrew Jacobson, on loan from New York City FC, went 90 in Stabaek’s 1-1 draw at Bodo/Glimt

Midfielder Michael Stephens played 90 for Stabaek

Defender Jeb Brovsky, on loan from NYCFC, was not in the 18 for Stromgodset’s 0-0 draw at Sarpsborg

Molde forward Josh Gatt remains out with a knee injury

AUSTRIA

Central midfielder Conor O’Brien played 90 in Wiener Neustadt’s 4-1 defeat at Red Bull Salzburg

SERBIA

Forward Freddy Adu was in the 18 but did not play in Jagodina’s 2-0 victory over Borac Cacak

MEXICO

Joe Corona went 90 on the left flank in Tijuana’s 1-1 draw at Monterrey

Greg Garza played 90 at left back for Tijuana

Forward Paul Arriola was in the 18 but did not play for Tijuana

Midfielder Alejandro Guido was in the 18 but did not play for Tijuana

Forward Alonso Hernandez* was not in the 18 for Monterrey

Edgar Castillo played 90 at left back in Atlas’ 1-0 victory at Chivas

Midfielder Jose Torres 90 in Tigres’ 1-0 victory at Veracruz

Forward Herculez Gomez 79 for Tigres

Puebla center back Michael Orozco, returning from a red card suspension, played 90 in a 1-1 draw at Toluca

Defender Gabriel Farfan was not in the 18 for Chipas’ 2-0 defeat at Pachuca

Club America defender Ventura Alvarado was not in the 18 for a 4-0 loss at Cruz Azul

Queretaro defender-midfielder Jonathan Bornstein was not in the 18 for a 2-1 loss to Leon