Giovanni Reyna showed a glimpse of his potential in the Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain in Borussia Dortmund’s final group stage match. After having come on as a substitute for the final fifteen minutes, Gio Reyna made two deft passes, one of which was very close to being an assist. This cameo was a short one but a sweet and promising one.
The question arises: will this game time be enough for the young star to stay in Borussia Dortmund? Gio Reyna made the move to Dortmund, looking for opportunities at the top level. The young star left his family and friends in the USA to fulfill his dreams in Germany, but the current situation is a dire one, as his opportunities in the starting XI are very scarce at the moment.
During the ongoing season, Gio Reyna has played around 268 minutes in all competitions. Apart from the game against Paris Saint-Germain, his only other Champions League appearance came against Newcastle United in October. Both of his Champions League appearances have been from the bench. The only start that he enjoyed this season was against Hoffenheim in a second-round game of DFB-Pokal in November and the other one was a league game against Eintracht Frankfurt in October. The league game start came after he enjoyed two starts for his country against Ghana and Germany. He also scored two goals in these two games for his country. This looked like the moment where the momentum would shift for Reyna after serving time away from the game due to injuries.
Finally, when the moment came for Reyna to start a Bundesliga game against Frankfurt, he was subbed off at half-time and was shifted back to the bench for the next league game, where they lost 4-0 to Bayern Munich. This is bound to build on the frustration for the player and possibly make the player look for alternatives.
Gio Reyna’s frustrations over game time are quite understandable, as he hasn’t made any start after that Frankfurt 3-3 draw. At least he was sure to have had the nod in the third-round tie against Stuttgart in the cup, but unfortunately, a bug sickness prevented him from making an appearance in the cup tie. It has become a norm for the American superstar that every little step he takes in the forward direction is followed by at least one backward step for one reason or the other.
Dortmund currently stands fifth in the league table and has one more game to go before the German football’s winter break. The transfer window will be upon us when Borussia Dortmund resumes their league campaign against Darmstadt on January 13. The questions will be thrown in the open regarding Gio Reyna’s future. For him to get regular football playtime, will he take the call to leave the German club?
Gio Reyna’s current contract ends in June 2025. Borussia Dortmund has long been in the conundrum of whether to sell Reyna in the next summer window or extend his contract in the hope of him gaining his true potential and becoming a saleable asset, just like his friend Jude Bellingham, who was transferred to Real Madrid last summer. Jude Bellingham, after making a move to Real Madrid, is breaking records left, right, and center. As Reyna costs very little to Dortmund, any sale would mean a significant profit to Dortmund.
However, for Reyna to attract big clubs and big money, he will need to enhance his value by showing some form and, most importantly, consistency. A contract extension alone will not prove to be enhancing his value. Dortmund will be keeping an eye on Gio Reyna’s performance in next summer’s Copa America, as he might play a key role for USMNT, which will ultimately enhance his value.
On the other hand, for Reyna to play an important role in Copa America, he needs some playtime to gain his form, which will only come when Dortmund puts some trust in the young player and gives him some much-needed starting XI action. Christian Pulisic, another American footballer, went through a similar situation with Chelsea regarding his game time and eventually made the move from Chelsea in the summer. The move came together brilliantly for the American footballer, as he scored a goal for AC Milan against Newcastle in the final group stage match. This might as well serve as an example for Reyna to follow the suit of Christian Pulisic and look for some other club soon. Gio Reyna can also choose to follow the path of another American international footballer, Weston McKennie, who won over his coach’s trust and, from being cast off in the summer, has now become an important part of Max Allegri’s plans in Turin.
There will be many suitors ready to grab Gio Reyna for their club – one biggest possibility is a season-long loan to some club similar to the one McKennie had to Leeds United last time around.
Reports also suggest that there is some brewing interest from other German clubs along with some clubs from Italy and Spain also keeping an eye on the situation. Joining the Italian league could prove to be fruitful for the American star as the league has been rising quickly for the past few seasons and has proved effective to the American players of late.
As we all know, scouts are always keeping an eye out for the youngsters, and they would have spotted Reyna’s play at Dortmund. When fully fit, Reyna’s a menace when it comes to receiving passes between the lines. It is a trait that helped Dortmund break down defenses with him becoming the best and most reliable at becoming a conduit into the danger area, the best in this role for Dortmund since Jadon Sancho’s departure in summer 2021. But the big question is, will any club take the chance with him and play him regularly?
Borussia Dortmund only once explained the absence of Gio Reyna at the start of the season, which he missed, citing it to be a leg injury. The injury was believed to be a fractured fibula. This injury-prone nature is something clubs look very carefully at, despite Dortmund not being worried about his injuries but his lack of goal threats, which Sebastian Kehl, the sporting director of Borussia Dortmund, has been vocal about.
For Dortmund, his cameos from the bench are not a problem, as will be for the USMNT fans or their manager, Gregg Berhalter. Dortmund will take confidence from his seven goals from seven starts in all competitions last season. They will hope for him to regain form and be a force to reckon with very quickly.
Managers from around the world will also look to make the most out of the midfield creativity of Gio Reyna to revitalize their midfield with the style and flavor of an American footballer. Despite the injury concerns, there are high chances of him finding a new home once he makes up his mind about leaving Borussia Dortmund.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Gio Reyna, and will we possibly see him in the starting lineup for the final game of the Bundesliga before the break? Do not wait to miss out on Borussia Dortmund tickets and make your presence felt in the stadium for the final league game before the winter break.
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