Augsburg defender Noahkai Banks has revealed he will decide his international future before the end of the year.
The 19-year-old is eligible for both his birth country of the United States as well as Germany, where he's lived since he was a young child.
Banks has only represented the United States on the international stage, playing at various youth levels and earning one senior call-up last September. He did not play in either of the USMNT's two September matches.
But amid a breakout season at the club level, Banks admitted earlier this year that he was "torn" over whether to continue with the U.S. or switch to Germany.
Banks turned down the chance to potentially represent the U.S. on home soil at the World Cup this summer. USMNT head coach Mauricio
Pochettino said in March that he called up the defender for two pre-World Cup friendlies, only to have him decline the invitation.
With the 2026-27 club season now underway, Banks told Bild that he would make a decision by the September-October international widow or the November window at the latest.
"I told both of them that I just wanted to concentrate on the start of the season now," he said. "But I know that I have to decide by the next international break or at the latest by the international break after next.”
In the article, Bild also reported that Banks had recently been in touch with Pochettino, while Germany coach Jürgen Klopp had scouted one of his recent matches in person.
Banks said last month that watching the USMNT at the World Cup was bittersweet, but insisted he had to take a more long-term approach toward his international decision.
"I watched with mixed feelings and was happy for the guys because they all made me feel so welcome back then," he told Kicker.
"Every now and then I told myself it would be cool to be there. But I didn’t dwell on it. I’m not the type to regret things in hindsight. I made my decision with the future in mind, and it’s the right one."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA or Germany? Noahkai Banks reveals when he will decide international future
