Matt Turner not assured of starting in CONCACAF Gold Cup, Pochettino says

Matt Turner isn’t assured of remaining the United States’ starting goalkeeper for the CONCACAF Gold Cup after failing to play for Crystal Palace for the past two months.

Turner has started 14 consecutive competitive matches for the U.S. and 23 of 24 dating to the 2022 World Cup, the lone exception a Gold Cup group stage game against St. Kitts and Nevis in 2023.

“Of course, until now Matt was our number-one choice but that can change,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said Tuesday during a Zoom news conference. “In our mind it’s open for another player maybe to challenge.”

Turner is among six goalkeepers on the 60-man preliminary roster, joined by Zack Steffen, Matt Freese, Patrick Schulte, Diego Kochen and Chris Brady. Pochettino intends to pick four for his training camp ahead of games against Turkey and Switzerland that precede the tournament.

Turner, who turns 31 next month, has played just four matches for Crystal Place this season, one in the League Cup and three in the FA Cup. Dean Henderson was in goal when Palace beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final last weekend for its first major trophy.

Two-time All-Pro guard Joe Thuney agrees to 2-year, $35 million extension with Bears

LAKE FOREST, Ill. >> Two-time All-Pro guard Joe Thuney and the Chicago Bears have agreed to a two-year, $35 million contract extension, agent Mike McCartney announced on Tuesday.

The extension is for $17.5 million per season. Thuney is due $51 million over the next three years with $33.5 million guaranteed, McCartney said.

General manager manager Ryan Poles said last month he hoped to get a deal done. Thuney was entering the final season of a five-year, $80 million deal he signed with Kansas City.

The Bears acquired the 32-year-old Thuney from the Chiefs in a trade in March, one of several moves they made to overhaul a shaky offensive line and give Caleb Williams the protection he needs. The quarterback was sacked a franchise-record and league-leading 68 times after being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick last year. The Bears hope that number goes down in a big way after reinforcing the line and hiring coach Ben Johnson.

An All-Pro the past two years, Thuney is entering his 10th season. He played on two Super Bowl champions in New England and two more in Kansas City.

Former Arkansas standout Boogie Fland commits to national champion Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. >> Former Arkansas standout Boogie Fland, widely considered the top guard in the transfer portal, chose to play for defending national champion Florida on Tuesday.

Fland committed to coach Todd Golden following a two-day visit to Gainesville and posted his decision on Instagram.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Fland averaged 13.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 21 games with the Razorbacks last season. The freshman from New York averaged nearly 32 minutes a game despite missing time with a right thumb injury that required surgery.

He returned for three postseason games before entering the NBA draft. He withdrew his name from consideration Sunday and made the visit to Florida.

Fland joins Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee and Ohio University transfer AJ Brown in Golden’s revamped backcourt. The trio is expected to replace Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard. The Gators also lost fellow guard Denzel Aberdeen to Kentucky.

— The Associated Press