'The gap can close dramatically' - Alexi Lalas predicts redemption path for USMNT star Gio Reyna if he can break free from Dortmund

Addressing Gio Reyna's complicated status ahead of the transfer window, former USMNT start Alexi Lalas suggested that either a transfer from Borussia Dortmund or a change in his current club situation could create the opportunity the midfielder needs.

“There are people out there that roll their eyes because we talked about Gio Reyna so much," Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. But again, it it's relative to the fact that this player is undeniably talented. We don't know if he's even going to get called, in going forward... we still don't even know where he's going to end up. But if Gio Reyna either moves someplace else or obviously stays and things drastically change, then I think it would take very little for people to get right back on the Gio Reyna train.

"And if you can look at what he is viewed at right now, he gets into a run of games where he is being productive and obviously he is healthy. I think people are going to say Gio Reyna's back and he is absolutely in the mix... I know maybe in his case that's a lot, but the gap can close dramatically.”

Regarding another USMNT star, Lalas said that Yunus Musah can still contribute for AC Milan, despite some speculation that he could be on the move. Musah was not on Mauricio Pochettino's Gold Cup squad.

“He has a tremendous amount to prove," Lalas said. "Obviously, he wasn't involved again this summer. And we can surmise that, you know, whatever the situation was, it still wasn't ideal for Pochettino and for this team and for Yunus Musah. And again, I go back to when Yunus Musah first burst on the scene... he would push the ball and had an incredible burst of speed that would get him out of situations, that would then send the US team into a much more attacking type of mode. And so that was really, really valuable.

"And he has fallen off... what remains to be seen whether we were already looking at the ceiling and that's as good as it gets. And if that's the case, that's not good enough, especially when you're not playing. So I think he's got a lot to prove, but there's something in the tank - maybe not a starter, but maybe he can start to ask some questions. But if he's not playing on a consistent basis, I doubt he's even get going to get called in.”

Both Musah and Reyna have struggled to earn regular minutes at the club level. That has seen them drop down the pecking order within the USMNT roster.

The USMNT midfielders have been linked with possible moves. With less than a year until the World Cup, both Reyna and Musah face a critical period to either establish themselves.