Gio Reyna and Gregg Berhalter buried the hatchet - but what can the USMNT boss really expect from the injury-prone Borussia Dortmund playmaker?

It's been about three months since we last saw Reyna on the field. That came in the CONCACAF Nations League, when he helped lift the U.S. to a trophy with his fantastic play from a new midfield position.

A foot injury suffered during that pursuit, though, derailed the start of the season. He missed Dortmund's tour of the U.S. and the start of the Bundesliga season. The good news is that he's almost ready to return.

Reyna has been on the bench for each of Dortmund's last two matches, one in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain and one in the league against Wolfsburg. He hasn't yet stepped foot on the field, but it seems that moment is coming. He's nearing a long-awaited return.

While his return on the club level will be a welcome sight for Dortmund fans, those that support the USMNT will be eagerly awaiting Reyna's next call-up. Part of that is due to what he can do on the field, as Reyna seems tailor-made for the new role he played in the Nations League. The other part? Pure intrigue. What in the world will all of this look like under Berhalter?

We all know the story by now. Blackmail, meddling, betrayal... a big old mess. The moment that Berhalter was rehired, the big question became how, and when, he'd patch things up with Reyna.

Unfortunately, that moment didn't come during Berhalter's first camp in September. Reyna missed the matches against Oman and Uzbekistan due to his injury, delaying the reunion. At that point, though, Berhalter said he'd yet to sit down with Reyna and have the inevitable clearing-of-the-air required for the two to work together.

"Those are conversations that I look forward to and it's just understanding sensitivities around it," Berhalter said ahead of September camp. "He's a young player. I think for everyone involved, it's been a lot for the last six months and we just want to do it in the best possible way to put him in position to help the team in a way that we know he can. Unfortunately, he was ruled out for this camp, but I look forward to continuing to monitor his progress at Dortmund and hopefully getting him back into camp in October."

Ahead of that October camp, that conversation has now happened, and that's important news for the USMNT.

Details are scarce about the meeting that has occurred, but U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker confirmed to reporters that both Reyna and Berhalter have had a productive conversation.

"I think both Greg and Gio are in a good place to move forward," Crocker said. "Clearly there's been a lot of emotions over the last 12 months. The common connection is they both want the program to be successful and that's the starting point and there's a clear way forward, a professional way of working and they're both ready."

That conversation was the first step, and it's likely the first of many. Fixing what was broken will take time and trust. It will be the biggest challenge of Berhalter's tenure, for sure.

It all begins in October, and the hope is that Reyna will be fit enough to contribute during his first camp back involved. "Gio's looking forward to the next camp, as soon as he's fit," Crocker said, "and Gregg's looking forward to working with him."

While Berhalter was gone, Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan offered a glimpse into what life could look like this cycle for Reyna. Having been played primarily on the wing throughout Berhalter's first tenure, Reyna was shifted to a central position during his absence, playing a big part from that role. His assist for Folarin Balogun's first USMNT goal was sublime, showing what he can do to create in that position.

Now, we'll have to find out if he's convinced Berhalter of that, as playing Reyna centrally would require a massive shift for the USMNT. It would require one of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie or Yunus Musah to be benched, which would be a massive call considering that group's success. Considering Adams' own injury issues, though, maybe this window is the perfect chance to give that a look and offer the new Bournemouth midfielder a chance to grow at his new club.

It'll be a storyline to watch going forward, and one that may never give us a definitive answer. Reyna's role could be entirely situational, one based on opponent, his team-mates and, most importantly, his health.

While American fans will be looking ahead to USMNT camp, those in Dortmund will also be excited to see what Reyna can add when healthy, especially considering his form last season.

Only four Dortmund players scored more goals than Reyna last season, despite the fact that he played just 625 total minutes. He averaged a goal involvement ever 69 minutes, a ridiculous level of contributions for any player.

And now, without Jude Bellingham, who is starring at Real Madrid, those types of contributions will be even more important. Dortmund are off to a solid start in the Bundesliga, having won three and drawn two to start the season. They find themselves in a tough Champions League group, too, and are already up against it after losing to PSG in their opener.

Their season will be defined by whether or not they can elevate another player to superstar status. They did it with Erling Haaland and they did it with Bellingham. Can Reyna step into that role when healthy? Will it be someone else like Karim Adeyemi, or Jamie Bynoe-Gittens or Youssoufa Moukoko? That'll be the difference between title or top-four contenders this season.

An interesting development has emerged this week, though, that indicates Reyna's next step may not come at Dortmund at all. Reports emerged linking AC Milan with a January move for Reyna, which would see him unite with Pulisic and Musah to form an American trio at San Siro. Stefano Pioli is said to be a fan of Reyna, with the report saying he's already approved of a potential move.

Will it happen? It's way too soon to tell. There are still over three months until the transfer window opens and a ridiculous amount can change between now and then. Reyna could become indispensable to Dortmund, or continued injury issues could scare off potential suitors.

Either way, it's something to watch out for, as Reyna's future in Germany is at least a little bit uncertain.

For Reyna, the most important thing will be getting and staying healthy. That may take time. Even when healthy at the tail end of last season, Edin Terzic admitted that he was worried about using Reyna to play big minutes.

“Gio has always suffered setbacks," Terzic said in March. "He was injured once with the national team. He has made a few short appearances, played from the start against Bremen, and had no playing time in the last three games. He knows what we expect from him. But we also know what he can give us. He has to be diligent and patient.”

Dortmund, though, face big games in the near future. That Milan match could very well determine their Champions League future. If not, their next Champions League match, a clash with Newcastle, sure will. Dortmund will need big performances and, last season, Reyna proved he was a player capable of providing them.

As for the national team, it's all about easing Reyna back in before next summer. The Copa America will be here before we know it and, for the U.S., the next few months are all about building towards that moment. Reyna will, hopefully, be a key part of that squad in whatever role he plays.

For the next few weeks and months, both Dortmund and the USMNT will be focused on rebuilding Reyna: physically, mentally and emotionally. It'll take some time, but he's worth it, no doubt.