What Is the Best Possible Move for USMNT Star Prospect Jordan Morris?

The endless debate surrounding the professional future of United States men's national team forward Jordan Morris has gone on since the Stanford University product first appeared in red, white and blue on November 18, 2014. 

In 13 months since his international debut, Morris has scored his first goal for the Yanks in a friendly against rival Mexico, struck the back of the net on 13 occasions for Stanford and hoisted the College Cup on Sunday behind a brace of his own. 

Now the focus shifts to the 21-year-old's next move, just like it did a year ago before he opted to return to Stanford for his junior season. Based off his progression as a striker at Stanford and the need for him to improve so he can be a constant producer up top for the USMNT, all signs are pointing to Morris turning pro in the coming weeks or months. 

If he chooses to forgo his senior season in Palo Alto, California, Morris essentially has two options. Morris is a homegrown product of the Seattle Sounders, which means the Major League Soccer side owns his professional rights in North America. But there is a chance Morris elects to go overseas and ply his trade with a European club. Both options seem like fine choices for Morris, but which one will benefit him the most? 

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The Sounders have made it known that they would like to have Morris join the already-dangerous strike partnership of Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins in the Pacific Northwest. However, the presence of the duo could be the exact reason Morris turns down a large domestic contract.

In November, Seattle general manager Garth Lagerwey confirmed the team was ready to offer Morris the most lucrative deal for a homegrown player in MLS history, per Matt Pentz of the Seattle Times. With the institution of new funding allotments by the league office last week, the possibility is high that Morris could sign a deal worth over $200,000 per year. 

In addition to the extra targeted allocation money distributed by MLS to its 20 clubs last week, the league also handed out $125,000 directed toward the signings of homegrown players, per MLSSoccer.com. If you combine that with the spending power of the Sounders, money shouldn't be an issue in the contract discussions with the 21-year-old phenom.

However, there are plenty of other variables to take into account when considering Seattle as the best place for Morris to start his career. When healthy, Dempsey and Martins are locks to feature in Sigi Schmid's starting lineup, which could leave Morris as the odd man out to begin with. But if Schmid shifts Dempsey into a midfield playmaking role, he could start Morris next to Martins in a high-powered attack. 

But Morris will not have a spot in the starting 11 right away, as Schmid will make the forward earn his place in the side, just like he did with rookie Cristian Roldan during the 2015 campaign. That could mean Morris will spend time with the club's USL affiliate to get his feet wet at the professional level. If things go well, Morris could see significant playing time by May or June for the Sounders in 2016. 

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Any MLS rookie would jump at the opportunity of guaranteed first-team action by the middle of his first season in the league, but Morris is a talent who has the potential to help the USMNT win matches immediately if he plays on a consistent basis year-round. 

If Morris rejects the Sounders' contract offer, he will most likely head overseas to test his skills. However, Morris has to be aware of picking the right situation. There have been many American players in the past who have tried to go to Europe and have failed, and in turn, the decision hurt their stock with the national team. 

To put Morris' potential European situation into perspective, none of the forwards on the USMNT U23 roster are playing consistently for the first team at their respective clubs.

Rubio Rubin at Utrecht is the only player close to earning that role, but he's been injured recently. Jerome Kiesewetter and Mario Rodriguez are playing in Germany, but they are doing so with the reserve squads of Stuttgart and Borussia Monchengladbach respectively. Even in MLS, 22-year-old Khiry Shelton failed to crack the starting lineup when healthy for New York City FC in MLS in 2015. 

So, before we encourage Morris to make the switch to Europe, he has to be warned that success may not find him right away. The Stanford product will experience growing pains wherever he lands, which should probably be somewhere in Scandinavia, France or Germany. Finding the right situation will be much more difficult in Europe, but if he scores goals like he did at Stanford over the last four months, he won't be searching for playing time. 

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In addition to all the personal factors involved in a decision of this enormity, Morris has to keep his USMNT stock in mind. Morris is expected to be a key contributor on the Olympic squad—if the Yanks beat Colombia in a two-match playoff in March—at the very least in 2016. But his role could grow with the senior team, given the lack of in-form strikers. Based on a combination of form and experience, Morris is arguably the third-best option at the position behind Jozy Altidore and Bobby Wood at the moment. 

Whether he accompanies the Yanks across the United States for the Copa America Centenario remains to be seen, but one has to assume USMNT boss Jurgen Klinsmann will give Morris every shot possible to make the squad, which means he has to be playing on a consistent basis at the club level. 

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However, there is one other option out there that could throw a wrench into the entire process. Morris still has one year of eligibility left at Stanford, and we can't count out a return to the Cardinal, given his decision to come back for the 2015 college season. One of the factors that could drive Morris away from the collegiate landscape for good is the trophy Stanford hoisted on Sunday. If he leaves school, Morris can say he accomplished plenty of success in his three seasons. 

In all honesty, it appears all three options are still out on the table for Morris, who hasn't given many clues away as to what his decision will be. His best move would be to sign with the Sounders and further develop his game before a potential move to Europe in a few years, but the allure of Europe could draw him away from home, like it has with plenty of young Americans before him. 

Joe Tansey covers U.S. Soccer for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90.