JTraveling to Europe for soccer is always a complicated process. Behind the fantasies of thousands of players who want to make more money, gain more visibility and be part of a big team is a person who has to adapt to a new culture, sometimes a language, and above all a different way of playing the sport. That’s what happened to Patrick Agyeman of the United States. Agyeman, 24, made a big breakthrough this year when he signed for English second division side Derby County. After building a good relationship with Charlotte in MLS, the striker decided to make a move to Europe, and although it was an important step, he confessed in a recent interview about the complications he had at the beginning of this journey.
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Patrick Agyeman spoke to DerbyshireLive about how difficult it was to move from MLS to Europe, specifically England. Things are very different there and you have to make sacrifices to qualify and play regularly.
“It was great when I made my debut in Derby because in 2025 I was playing with a double hernia. It was difficult because I knew I couldn’t do what I knew I could do. But I want to play so I push myself and keep going,” the American striker explained.
The player also said that he is living a dream and nothing has come easy. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play in Europe. In my heart, I wanted to give it a try. I know my comfort zone and I always want to step out of it and really prove that I can do it.”
“It was a dream, but it’s hard to actually make it a reality, because you can say, ‘Oh, I’m going to play in Europe,’ but you know what it really takes to play in Europe.”
Mauricio Pochettino supports Patrick Agyeman
Agyeman also commented that some of the support he received was very important in his decision to go to Europe, and while some may think it was strange to leave MLS and go to another country’s second tier, he emphasized that his national team coach, Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, encouraged him to make the leap.
The American has made six appearances for Derby County, scoring one goal and providing two assists. In 2025, he played in 16 games for his former club Charlotte in MLS, scoring 6 goals and 1 assist.
With more than half of the season still to go, the striker wants to continue contributing to the national team’s chances of staying in the squad, and could make the leap to the Premier League in the not-too-distant future.
