USMNT Gold Cup hero Matt Turner needs regular playing time at the club level before it stunts his potential

Turner, Zack Steffen and Ethan Horvath are all club backups that likely need to move to grow

The United States men's national team's journey to Wednesday's Gold Cup semifinal against Panama has been uneven, but Matt Turner has been anything but. The goalkeeper was the star of Sunday's quarterfinal triumph over Canada after saving two penalties in the shootout. In addition to padding his penalty record that includes a save in the USMNT's Gold Cup opener against Jamaica, Turner has served as the picture of consistency as a young team eyes continental silverware. 

Turner's reliability comes as no surprise since he's one of the few first-team regulars competing for the United States at this year's Gold Cup, but his importance to the USMNT serves as a stark reminder of what so many of the American goalkeepers are facing come next season: A club situation that could put a dent in his -- and the team's -- potential.

Turner is a USMNT standout despite his lack of playing time at Arsenal, and his second season in England seems destined to resemble the first. He only earned the nod over the team's first-choice goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in cup competitions with only seven starts during the last campaign. He might play even fewer matches as the team trades last season's Europa League berth for a spot in the Champions League.