Gio Reyna to Real Madrid is a transfer rumor which will have USMNT fans feeling equal parts excitement and trepidation.
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Reyna, 17, has been on fire early in the Bundesliga season for Borussia Dortmund as the playmaker had a hat trick of assists in a single game before the international break and over the last 8-10 months he’s become a regular for the German giants.
That has, predictably, led to a report in Marca which stated that Real Madrid are lining up a move for Gio Reyna and Erling Haaland.
Remember: Reyna hasn’t even signed his first professional contract yet and will do so in November when he turns 18 years old.
If he keeps doing what he’s doing, the Gio Reyna to Real Madrid reports will get louder and louder. This really feels like a double-edged sword, though.
Would this be a good thing for Reyna’s development?
In the short-term, probably not. Martin Odegaard is probably the best example of a teenage star who moved to Real Madrid, then saw his progress halted. The Norwegian playmaker has since excelled in a loan spell at Real Sociedad and has now returned to Real Madrid and is playing regularly. But it has taken four season for that to happen. Zinedine Zidane hasn’t been scared to play youngsters (Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. showcase that) but Real have a history of stockpiling young talent and managers other than Zidane may not be as willing to play a teenager over a Galactico.
Reyna is playing regularly at Dortmund and probably will be for as long as he wants. As we saw with Christian Pulisic at Dortmund, he benefitted by getting three seasons under his belt in the Bundesliga and the Champions League at a young age. Playing regularly aids development and that is what Reyna needs to do.
Could we see USMNT stars galore in El Clasico?
If he did end up at Real Madrid, there is a real chance that young USMNT stars could feature heavily for Real and Barcelona in the years to come. Pulisic is said to be wanted by Real Madrid, so he and Reyna could hold things down at the Santiago Bernabeu (grab a fan and a cool drink USMNT supporters) while Sergino Dest and Konrad de la Fuente will have the flanks covered at Barcelona.
There is a huge push from the very top of La Liga to attract more American soccer fans to watch the league and having four of the top young prospects playing for its two biggest teams is one way to do it.
Staying at Dortmund for another two seasons should be the aim
All in all, USMNT fans will probably agree that Reyna to Real Madrid should not be something that happens for at least another two seasons. I’m talking the summer of 2023. That would set him up for a few years as a star at Real Madrid, with Luka Modric and Toni Kroos moved on by then, and set him up nicely to take the 2026 World Cup by storm on home soil. Sound like a plan, USMNT fans?
Reyna, Pulisic, McKennie, Adams and Dest will all be in their prime for the 2026 World Cup, but a lot can change in a year, let alone six. Let’s enjoy the brilliance of Reyna and this young crop of USMNT talents who are blazing a trail at big European clubs.