Happy January transfer window deadline day everybody! One of the bigger deals getting finalized, as we move towards the 11th hour, involves Borussia Dortmund and United States Men’s National Team winger Gio Reyna. The offspring of two former professional football players is finishing up his loan move to Nottingham Forest, as we speak.
Reyna has a medical at Forest booked for today, and we should see an official announcement within the next few hours.
?? Gio Reyna to Nottingham Forest, here we go! Agreement sealed with Borussia Dortmund on loan deal.#NFFC to cover Reyna’s salary until June.
Nuno was pushing to sign him and deal now in place also with his agent Jorge Mendes.
Medical tests also booked. ?? pic.twitter.com/PPnMgvX3Hf
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 31, 2024
According to reports there is no buy-option in this deal. It is just a straight 6-month loan until the end of the season. The Premier League club will be paying Reyna’s entire salary for the rest of this season, as well as a €1m loan fee.
The forward, who has often been compared to fellow American Christian Pulisic, was also said to be coveted by Marseille.
Hopefully, for the sake of Reyna and the Tricky Trees, his spell in the English top flight will go much better than Pulisic’s stint at Chelsea did.
So far, the career of Gio Reyna has been more hype than production. He’s been more known for his potential (BVB gave him the shirt number of Jadon Sancho when the English winger left for Manchester United) than for his goal involvement numbers.
Still there are many who believe that Gio Reyna could actually become the greatest American player ever; someday.
A series of injuries have held him back, and the very childish and stupid feud between his parents and his national team coach, Gregg Berhalter, certainly doesn’t help.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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