It's increasingly likely that the midfielder will miss both the Gold Cup and Club World Cup, but that might just be the best outcome
Gio Reyna finds himself in the worst place to be: limbo. His club future is uncertain. His national team future depends almost entirely on how he handles that club uncertainty. Heading into a crucial summer, Reyna's status is, in every way possible, up in the air.
One thing we do know is that Reyna won't be playing in the Gold Cup. He was left off the U.S. men's national team's 60-man preliminary list, meaning he will not be part of the 26 called up for this summer's tournament. That exclusion was expected.
That's because Reyna is still a Borussia Dortmund player – at least for now. Dortmund are among the teams heading to the U.S. this summer and – as long as Reyna remains a part of the squad – he is expected to be at the Club World Cup.
Reyna is not expected to be part of that Dortmund's for long, though. Transfer speculation swirls, suggesting he may take a step down the ladder in search of much-needed playing time.
For those following at home, that means Reyna could miss out on TWO tournaments this summer. With the World Cup looming, every minute and every moment counts and, while others further their case for a spot on Mauricio Pochettino's U.S. men's national team, Reyna seems likely to be sitting on the sidelines.
In some ways, though, that's exactly what Reyna needs. His most important decision this summer won't come on the field. For Reyna, the focus is on escaping this ongoing limbo, and doing so in a way that avoids a trapdoor so he won't fall back into it once again.
GettyReyna's struggles
No need to dwell on Reyna's season for too long, largely because there weren't many minutes to actually reflect on. The 2024-25 season was, largely, more of the same: untimely injuries, a spot on the bench and far too few moments actually developing as a player on the field.
It's worth repeating: it didn't initially look like it would go down this way. After playing nearly 2,000 minutes during the 2020-21 season, Reyna has played fewer than 2,000 minutes in the ensuing four seasons combined. He played in 16 games this season, totaling just 341 minutes – although he did score twice in those 341.
What's gone wrong? Injuries have certainly played their part. The American sustained several at the worst possible moments, giving Dortmund little reason to trust in him. Those injuries, combined with his lack of minutes, have resulted in a lack of game fitness, which has left Reyna looking less explosive than he did during those early years of his career.
Over Dortmund's final 10 Bundesliga games, Reyna touched the field just once: an 11-minute cameo in the season-ending win over relegated Holstein Kiel. It was likely his last appearance in a Dortmund shirt.
Six months after he initially said it, USMNT legend Landon Donovan's thoughts on Reyna ring all the more true as the midfielder gears up for a potential Dortmund departure.
“In a case like Gio, great you signed with Borussia Dortmund, great you went on loan to Forest," Donovan said on his podcast. "You don’t play soccer. You’re a soccer player, you’re not a soccer practicer. You’re not a soccer contracted person. You’re a soccer player. Do you want to play soccer or not?"
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTransfer speculation
It's safe to say that Reyna and those around him didn't get his last transfer decision right. Facing that lack of game time, Reyna went on loan to a struggling Nottingham Forest team. Due to the club's desperation, Forest glued Reyna to a bench in England rather than one in Germany.
That can't be the case this time, and links are already swirling. Reyna is widely expected to take a step down. It's just a matter of where, and how big that step is.
Reyna is reportedly a target of Real Sociedad, a club that has a history of developing talent. A tough run at the end of the season means Sociedad won't be heading to Europe this season, which could conceivably impact budget decisions heading into the summer.
However, homegrown star Martin Zubimendi has been linked with a move after turning down Liverpool last summer, which will likely give the club some money to spend.
Reyna has also been linked to Serie A, a league that is also home to Americans Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah and Weston McKennie. Rangers, where Reyna's played once upon a time, are also among the rumored landing spots.
There's another interesting landing spot. According to RTI Esporte, Brazilian side Flamengo are eyeing Reyna as a reinforcement ahead of their own Club World Cup run. The club reportedly considers the signing of Reyna as a big opportunity, one that will help Flamengo in the CWC with a potential financial windfall down the line.
This deal could work for Reyna, too, putting him in the spotlight this summer, after all. Any transfer move, though, will be under intense scrutiny as Reyna looks to reclaim a USMNT spot ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
GettyReyna's USMNT future
When the USMNT convened in Los Angeles for the CONCACAF Nations League, Pochettino spoke about Reyna's status. Knowing that the Club World Cup was on the horizon, Pochettino knew March was his best chance to get a look at Reyna's game.
"He’s not playing much at his club, and for us, it was a great opportunity to have an experience with him," Pochettino said. "Because in June, if he is still at Dortmund, he is going to be involved in the Club World Cup and is not going to have the possibility to play for us.That is why, I think, for us, with not too much time to work and to get to know the player, I think it was a great opportunity. That doesn't mean that he's ready to play in the way that we expect for him to perform."
Reyna's lack of sharpness was made clear, however. He didn't feature in the first game, with a planned extra-time substitution nixed by Panama's late-game winner. Against Canada in the third-place match, he made a substitute appearance that didn't result in anything meaningful.
At the moment, Reyna faces a rough path towards playing time on Pochettino's squad. Malik Tillman was arguably the Eredivisie's best player this past season. Diego Luna has been tearing up MLS. Brenden Aaronson offers versatility, while Paxten Aaronson looks poised for his own breakout that could come ahead of the World Cup.
There are suddenly an overload of No. 10s in the pool, which means Reyna could be on the outside looking in, regardless of what happens this summer. Pochettino, though, isn't giving up on him.
"I am so honest and what I think I see is this important player, who was also an important player in the past," the USMNT boss said. "I think it's a player we need to recover and put to the same level as the rest of the players to have the possibility to compete in the World Cup."
Getty ImagesA silver lining?
If everything goes as expected and Reyna does, in fact, have a tournament-free summer, he'll no doubt be disappointed. These are the moments players dream of, those with titles on the line. For a player such as Reyna, these moments feel even bigger.
The optimist, though, would see a quiet on-field summer as an opportunity to finally take a breath and get things right.
There's no express lane out of limbo. For Reyna to climb his way out, he has to make the correct decisions. There's no longer any margin for error. A move to the wrong club jeopardizes everything, even early in the cycle.
Getting it wrong can cost a player a World Cup dream.
Despite all that's gone wrong over these last few years, Reyna is still just 22 years old. Only five players on the USMNT squad in March were younger. Reyna's career is far from over, but it is certainly at a crossroads as he heads into a life-changing summer, for better or worse.