The wait is finally over. After weeks of negotiations between Borussia Dortmund and other clubs, most notably Serie A side Parma, Gio Reyna is staying in the Bundesliga, having joined Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday.

A Fresh Start for Reyna

The 22-year-old is in desperate need of a fresh start, plagued by injuries and inconsistency in the past four seasons, a series of events that has dramatically limited his opportunities for both club and country.

Will Reyna Get the Minutes to Make the World Cup?

First and foremost: Reyna needs to get on the field. With Dortmund, the American earned just 342 minutes in the previous Bundesliga season, and when including the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, the total is a meager tally of 614 minutes for the young attacking midfielder. For reference, USMNT captain Christian Pulisic earned 3,119 minutes last season in both competitions for AC Milan.

Reyna's Versatility at Gladbach

Gladbach were looking to reinforce their attack after transferring Alassane Pléa to PSV Eindhoven in July. What persuaded Roland Virkus, Borussia's managing director for sport, to push his chips in for Reyna is the American's versatility. Mönchengladbach's transfer budget is limited, meaning they need to get the most for their money. Virkus and manager Gerardo Seoane believe they can use Reyna on both wings as well as in the middle of the pitch.

Challenges and Opportunities

Injuries have frequently derailed Reyna's progress. He has missed roughly 84 competitive games, U.S. national team games included, in the past four years. Mönchengladbach don't have a specific plan to keep Reyna on the pitch; they simply hope that given his youth, he might turn a corner and stay ready to play for a change.

Conclusion

Reyna will join his friend, international teammate and former New York City FC academy colleague Joe Scally. Together, the two will likely do everything in their power to play their way into a place at the 2026 World Cup.