Can Gio Reyna do ‘a Weston McKennie’? USMNT star told why he will struggle to emulate rejuvenated Juventus midfielder when returning to Borussia Dortmund from frustrating Nottingham Forest loan

Back in January 2023, USMNT star McKennie completed a move to England when linking up with Leeds. He suffered relegation out of the Premier League and was expected to be offloaded by Juventus in the next transfer window. Instead, he has played his way back into form and become an important part of Massimiliano Allegri’s plans.

International team-mate Reyna has trodden a similar path in 2024, with the 21-year-old joining a basement battle at Forest. He has seen limited game time, due to fitness problems and competition for places, and will be due back in Germany at the end of the season.

Reyna will hope to take inspiration from McKennie when it comes to embracing second chances, but former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas has told his State of the Union podcast of why that will be difficult: “It can happen, you can get back into good graces. It probably would help him if Edin Terzic did get fired, but I also want to be careful because I don’t think – well I know – that Gio Reyna is the same as Weston McKennie. They are built very, very differently. For Gio Reyna to pull a Weston McKennie, it would have to be a very different Gio Reyna that shows up, if he were to show up, back at Dortmund.”

Questions have been asked of Reyna’s attitude in the past, while his injury record remains a source of concern. Dortmund did extend his contract, though, before sanctioning a move to Forest and may have a different head coach at the helm next season as Terzic struggles to deliver on expectations.