SouthernWorldwide.com – U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Diego Kochen is reportedly set to depart Barcelona on loan this summer.
The 20-year-old shot-stopper is seeking more playing time to advance his development. Danish club Lyngby Boldklub has emerged as the frontrunner to secure the American goalkeeper on a temporary basis.
Kochen is highly regarded at Barcelona and spent a significant portion of last season alternating between the first team and the reserves. Although he did not feature in any senior team matches, he served as the third-choice goalkeeper behind Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny. This role saw him included in the matchday squad for 40 games for the Catalan giants.
Concurrently, he participated in 20 matches for Barça Athletic in the fourth tier of Spanish football. His sole first-team appearance to date was in a friendly against Club América in 2023.
According to ESPN, Barcelona is open to allowing Kochen to leave on loan this summer. The club recognizes the need for him to gain substantial playing time to further his career progression.
Kochen has been a consistent presence for the U.S. at the youth international level, having represented the U-16, U-17, U-19, U-20, and U-23 teams. While he is eligible to play for Venezuela and Peru, Kochen has remained steadfast in his commitment to representing the United States.
He has come close to senior team involvement. Kochen was called into the U.S. camp twice in 2024. He is currently with the senior team this summer, serving as a training goalkeeper alongside rising star Andrew Rick from the Philadelphia Union. This experience provides both young players with an invaluable close-up view of the World Cup environment.
While Kochen’s future is not yet definitively settled, Lyngby Boldklub is reported to be the leading candidate to sign him on loan this summer.
Lyngby Boldklub earned promotion to the Danish Superliga following the conclusion of the most recent season. The club is reportedly receptive to taking Kochen on a season-long loan, and Kochen himself is also open to this opportunity. His current contract with Barcelona extends through 2028.
Kochen will continue to train with the U.S. team throughout their World Cup campaign. However, he is not part of the official roster and therefore is ineligible to participate in matches.
Following a victory over Senegal last weekend, the U.S. team is scheduled to face Germany this weekend. They will then compete against Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey in the group stage of the World Cup.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The tournament, hosted across three countries, will conclude with the final match on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 matches of the tournament will be broadcast live on FOX (70 games) and FS1 (34 games). Additionally, every match will be available for live streaming and on-demand viewing through both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps. A record 40 matches, representing over a third of the tournament’s schedule, will be aired in prime time across FOX (21 games) and FS1 (19 games).
The opening match on June 11, featuring Mexico and South Africa, is set to kick off at 3 p.m. ET and will be streamed for free on Tubi. The U.S. team’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12, also at 9 p.m. ET, will be available through the same free streaming service.
