U.S. teenager Reyna promoted to senior Borussia Dortmund squad

United States youth international Giovanni Reyna has been promoted to the Borussia Dortmund senior squad just six months after joining the club’s academy.

The 17-year-old moved to Germany from MLS side New York City FC last summer and initially joined up with the club’s under-19 squad, though he did join the senior squad on their pre-season tour of the United States.

The attacking midfielder, son of former American internationals Claudio Reyna and Danielle Egan Reyna, impressed with the youth team, scoring eight goals and registering a further eight assists in 16 appearances during the first half of the season.

His early performances were enough to see him included in Dortmund’s 31-man Champions League squad. He was also named in the matchday squad for their Bundesliga clash with Dusseldorf at the start of last month, though he failed to make it off the bench in a 5-0 win.

Reyna was then part of Lucian Favre’s travelling Dortmund squad for their winter training camp in Marbella, where he scored one goal and set up another in a 4-2 friendly win over Feyenoord last week.

Those displays have seen the youngster rewarded with a permanent promotion to the senior side, though he will also still be eligible to play for the under-19s.

Speaking about Reyna’s promotion, Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said: ”He presented himself well in Marbella, that's why we want to put him on a much higher level at training.

“We want to develop him to a full-fledged player of Borussia Dortmund.”

The teenager could make his senior debut against Augsburg when the Bundesliga resumes after the winter break this weekend.

Reyna has established himself as one of the most talented prospects to emerge from the United States youth squads in recent years.

He was able to make the move to Europe having secured a Portuguese passport through Claudio's mother Maria.

By moving to BVB he is following the footsteps of United States international Christian Pulisic, who also joined the club at the age of 16 in 2015 before moving to Chelsea last summer for £58 million ($73m).