It's clear that the 21-year-old has no future at Signal Iduna Park, and prolonging this bad marriage will only cause more damage to his career
Gio Reyna looked destined for superstardom when he left his family behind in New York to chase the European dream at Borussia Dortmund in 2019. The 16-year-old showed bravery and maturity belying his tender age by stepping out of his comfort zone, and it was no surprise when he broke into the BVB senior squad the following January.
Ten months later, Dortmund handed Reyna a new five-year contract. "Gio's development in recent months has been incredible," the German club's then-sporting director Michael Zorc said after the announcement. "He will definitely be an important part of Borussia Dortmund's sporting future."
Dortmund went on to win the DFB-Pokal and reach the Champions League quarter-finals in 2020-21, which made up for a disappointing third-place finish in the Bundesliga. Erling Haaland scored 41 goals to steal most of the headlines, but Reyna also enjoyed a hugely impressive breakthrough season, with 15 goal contributions.
The talented forward earned his first caps for the U.S. men's national team, too, which led to the suggestion he could eclipse fellow countryman Pulisic, who also became a household name at Dortmund. But in hindsight, it was all too much, too soon for Reyna.
Less than three years later, he has been reduced to little more than a bit-part role at Signal Iduna Park. Reyna has been plagued by form and fitness issues which have derailed his once-hugely promising career, and a change of scenery is necessary if he is to have any chance of getting back on track.
Reyna is certainly no longer "an important part" of Dortmund's future and must find an escape route in the January window, or else risk falling down the USMNT pecking order in the same way ahead of the Copa America…
GettyBVB benchwarmer
Reyna has been restricted to just two starts for Dortmund in 2023-24 so far, and has only seen 331 minutes of action across all competitions. He reportedly missed pre-season and the start of the new campaign after suffering a fractured fibula during his country's CONCACAF Nations League final win in June, with BVB taking a cautious approach with his recovery.
It wasn't until October 7 that Edin Terzic threw Reyna back into fold, as he made a cameo off the bench in a 4-2 win over Union Berlin. That outing wasn't the start of a resurgence, though, with sporting director Sebastian Kehl admitting after the game: "He’s not threatening goals just yet, the way he can do."
For a brief moment, it looked like Reyna had forced his way back in after being included in Terzic's starting XI for a trip to Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of that month, but he was hooked at half-time and returned to the bench in each of Dortmund's subsequent seven Bundesliga games.
To Reyna's credit, he has at least been trying to make the most of his limited game time. He caught the eye in BVB's final Champions League group-stage game against Paris Saint-Germain, which was only overshadowed because of his heated exchange with teammate Mats Hummels at full-time, and saw a goal ruled out for offside during the 1-1 draw with Mainz in Dortmund's final match before the Bundesliga winter break.
But there is no indication that Reyna is any closer to becoming a key player for Dortmund again, which is a situation he cannot afford to accept heading into what could be a make-or-break year.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesNo USMNT guarantees
Reyna's bleak situation at club level has not yet had an adverse affect on his international status, with Gregg Berhalter including the 21-year-old in the USMNT's October and November camps. He repaid the manager's faith by scoring three goals in four appearances, including a fine finish to round off a vital 3-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago in the first leg of the Nations League quarter-finals.
Berhalter and Reyna appear to have mended their relationship after a public feud involving the families of both men that followed tension between the pair at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The USMNT boss heaped praise upon the youngster after his two-goal showing in the friendly rout of Ghana, telling reporters: "I thought Gio was really good, perhaps a Man-of-the-Match-type performance. Besides the goals, it was how he brings players into the attack, how he is able to be calm on the ball. He gives us that calm and that poise that we need at times, but then is decisive when making final passes."
The USMNT does not have another player who operates between the lines as effectively as Reyna, and he can be the difference-maker in the final third when firing on all cylinders. But it's been impossible for him to build up a rhythm at Dortmund, and he won't be guaranteed a spot on the roster for the 2024 Copa America if he continues to sit among the substitutes.
BVB's veteran talisman Marco Reus remains first choice in the No.10 role, Reyna's preferred position, while Karim Adeyemi, Donyell Malen and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens are providing stern competition on the flanks. That will only increase if Dortmund arrange a January homecoming for Jadon Sancho, who has reportedly been transfer listed by Manchester United after falling out with Erik ten Hag.
GettyReyna's options
Reyna is still under contract at Dortmund until 2025, but has reported that club officials have been mulling over whether to sell him next summer or try to tie him to a contract extension. After all, in the last transfer window, BVB managed to squeeze €103 million (£89m/$113m) out of Real Madrid for his old colleague Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham has fulfilled his potential far quicker than Reyna, but Dortmund might still believe they can fetch another hefty fee for the U.S. international further down the line. A strong Copa America would be essential to that cause, though, and Reyna won't have much hope of making an impact at the tournament unless he returns to the Dortmund line-up in the new year.
It has been reported that Terzic could be facing the sack after a dismal recent run of results, and a new manager might be willing to give Reyna a fresh opportunity to prove his worth. But right now, it does feel like Reyna and Dortmund's unhappy marriage is destined to end in an acrimonious divorce.
If BVB receive a decent offer in the winter market, they will have to consider it. According to , Reyna is prepared to stay put, but he's fighting a losing battle to get back in the team, and there are several clubs poised to try and turn his head.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has suggested that the Premier League could be a realistic destination for Reyna, and he's also attracting interest from Spain and Italy. A number of German clubs have been linked with the American, too, but it remains to be seen if Dortmund would be willing to sell to a direct rival.
Getty ImagesPulisic & McKennie route
Serie A might hold the greatest appeal for Reyna if he is to leave Dortmund next year, not least because of the recent success his international teammates have enjoyed in the Italian top-flight.
Pulisic ultimately failed to live up to his £58m ($73m) price tag after joining Chelsea from Dortmund, and was shipped off to AC Milan for just £17m ($22m) in the summer. San Siro has since proven to be the perfect place for Pulisic to reignite his career, with the USMNT talisman recording six goals and four assists in his first 21 appearances for the club.
Pulisic swallowed his pride by leaving Chelsea a year before the expiration of his contract, but has knuckled down to become a key player for another European powerhouse and is now playing with a spring in his step again.
Weston McKennie has also provided a strong example for Reyna to follow, having forced his way back into the plans of Juventus head coach Massimilano Allegri. The 25-year-old's career at the Allianz Stadium looked to be all but over after his return from an ill-fated loan spell at Leeds United that ended in their relegation from the Premier League, and Dortmund were reportedly among the clubs that considered a move for the midfielder in the summer.
Fast-forward just a few months, and Juventus are said to be lining up a renewal for McKennie as a reward for his impressive performances in the first half of the 2023-24 campaign. Reyna might see that dramatic turnaround in fortunes as proof that it's still possible for him to win Terzic around, but it's perhaps more likely that he will sense an opportunity in Italy.
Tim Weah and Yunus Musah have also enjoyed strong starts to the season at Juventus and Milan, respectively, which suggests that America's top talents are well suited to the pace of the game in Serie A. It's certainly easy to imagine Reyna running in behind Italian defences in the same way Pulisic has done, and he will also note that the former Chelsea man also appears to have put his past injury problems behind him.