Columbus Crew SC midfielder Justin Meram is a candidate to play for Iraq in the Olympics this summer.
Iraq informed the MLS club that Meram, 27, is under consideration for one of the country's three squad spots for players over 23.
If selected to play in August, Meram could miss up to a month of the MLS season, though the Crew do not have any games that month until Aug. 13 and the group stage at the Olympics ends three days earlier.
His club could refuse to release him to play in the tournament, but coach Gregg Berhalter told the Columbus Dispatch that Crew SC could be open to Meram going to Rio de Janeiro.