Tipping point: Gio Reyna's career is in the balance, as USMNT star's future at Borussia Dortmund remains unclear

It seemed as if Reyna had finally reckoned with it all last season. After spending the first half of the campaign largely on the bench, he left Dortmund on loan. The problem? The choice of club simply exacerbated the situation.

Reyna's move to Nottingham Forest was a mess from the beginning. He never got particularly close to cracking Nuno Espirito Santo's starting XI. In total, he made just nine appearances totaling 230 minutes. For those less inclined to do math, that's less than two-and-a-half full games played.

That wouldn't be as concerning for a younger player - there's actually something to be said about learning and training at a big club. Until a certain age, minutes aren't the only measure of success - but that changes as a player matures.

At nearly 22, Reyna is no longer a "young player." He's at the point in his career in which he needs less watching and learning and more actually playing, more meaningful opportunities on the field.

Generally, comparing careers is a fool's errand. There are so many factors and circumstances that add nuance to these sorts of discussions. No career is the same, for a variety of reasons.

Reyna, though, does have a blueprint at Dortmund. It's the one put together by Christian Pulisic during his time with the club.

Pulisic left Dortmund for Chelsea at age 21, the same age Reyna is now. By that time, he'd turned himself into a $71M (£58m) player, one that the Blues were willing to spend big on long before Todd Boehly's brand of ownership chaos.

During his time at Dortmund, Pulisic played in 127 matches. He scored 19 goals and even won a trophy. In total, he'd played 7,501 minutes, going from academy star to regular during his four years with the first team.

Reyna has not made that leap.

It's now been four-and-a-half years since Reyna made his Dortmund debut. In soccer, that's a lifetime.

Over those four-plus years, Reyna has played in 121 matches and scored 17 goals for the German giants. That part, realistically, lines up with Reyna's USMNT teammate Pulisic. However, there's a deeper story to tell here.

In total, Reyna has played just 5,132 minutes for Dortmund over that span, nearly 2,500 fewer than Pulisic. And making matters worse, more than 2,698 of those minutes came during the 2020-21 campaign. Over the last three seasons, Reyna has played less than half as much as he played just in that first real breakout year.

It's a troubling trend and a major concern. Just a few short years ago, Reyna looked like a player ready to push for more and more. At this point, it appears that - at least on the club level - he's regressed. If anything, rather then press his case, he's struggled to get the opportunities that are absolutely crucial for him to grow.

Largely, transfer rumors surrounding Reyna have gone quiet. Last season, he was linked with clubs in England, Spain, Italy and France. So far this summer, there hasn't been much of note.

There's still time for that to change. The transfer window closes on Aug. 30 and, if we know anything, it's to expect a flurry of late rumors and deals. Clubs often wait for the last minute, and Reyna is the type of fire-sale signing that could help a club both in the present and future. He remains extremely talented, after all, with considerable upside, either for a potential signing club or as a sale down the line.

Reyna, though, has hinted that he could stay. A recent Instagram post saw him hail Signal Iduna Park as the "best stadium in the world" with Reyna looking forward to the 2024-25 season. Was it a cagey public relations move? Or could it mean that he will actually stay for one last chance to prove himself?

The Dortmund that Reyna has returned to is vastly different than last season's team. Competition is still there, but there is a fresh feeling to it all.

The major change is at head coach, where Edin Terzic has now been replaced by Nuri Sahin. The Turkish coach, a former midfielder for Dortmund, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Werder Bremen, was previously an assistant under Terzic. It's a new leader in charge, one with vast experience as a player.

Also gone is Marco Reus, the legendary midfielder. He's moved on to the LA Galaxy, leaving one open spot at Reyna's preferred central position. Brandt is still there as the primary starter, but could Reus' departure open the door for more Reyna game time?

For a while, Reyna seemed destined to be Reus' heir apparent. Could that finally come to fruition this season? There are still multiple options in the Dortmund attack, but Reyna might just believe he can be an important one, particularly in a central spot.

Reyna won't just have to prove himself with his club this season. No, the USMNT is now a totally clean slate less than two years ahead of te 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

For better or worse, former USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter knew what he had with Reyna. Their often rocky relationship, and the inherent issues that came with it, were made public in recent years, but at the core of it was a long-time connection. Berhalter knew exactly what type of player Reyna is and could be. There was familiarity there.

Mauricio Pochettino, who is reportedly on his way in as Berhalter's successor, has no such connection with Reyna. He's a total outsider to the program, one who will come in with his own expectations, his own ideas and, presumably, his own favorites. Pochettino will be assessing everything on his own and, right now, Reyna's resume isn't exactly one that jumps off the page.

As he inches closer to his 22nd birthday, it's time for Reyna to play, wherever that may be. There's no more time to waste. Reyna has the potential to be a fantastic player, and he's shown glimpses of that potential throughout his career thus far. However, he's arrived at a career tipping point, and if he wants to reach stardom, something needs to change, and soon.