Real Madrid are reportedly keeping a close eye on young American footballer Giovanni Reyna, who currently plays for Borussia Dortmund. The Spanish giants, who are also monitoring Erling Haaland, remain interested in the American who is already earning rave reviews.
In order to fend off Real Madrid’s interest, Dortmund are preparing to offer the American a new three-year contract with a significant pay rise. Reyna’s current contract with the Bundesliga side expires next summer, which has apparently put Los Blancos on high alert.
The American made his debut for Dortmund in January this year, coming off the bench in the 5-3 thrashing of FC Augsburg. Reyna notched up 15 appearances in the black and yellow colours last season, scoring 1 goal.
His performances have warranted more game time and the American has made a total of 23 appearances for Dortmund so far, with 3 goals and 6 assists to his name. For the record, Reyna only turns 18 in November this year!
Incidentally, he is the youngest American ever to play in the Bundesliga, a record that was previously held by Christian Pulisic.
Even though Reyna is yet to appear for the United States national team, he has already represented his country at various youth level tournaments, justifying Real Madrid’s interest in him. With the Spanish giants waiting in the wings, the American certainly will have a decision to make soon.
Reyna has to choose between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund
A move to Real Madrid does have its perks. Playing for the Los Blancos is a lure most footballers find hard to resist and Reyna will also have a chance to be coached by Zinedine Zidane. However, a potential arrival at Santiago Bernabeu is not without risks.
Playing for Real Madrid could prove to be too heavy a burden for a player in his teenage years. Finding regular game time in a star-studded Real Madrid team will also prove to be a challenge in itself.
An extended stay at the Bundesliga with Dortmund will aid the player's development. It will represent the comforts of playing under Lucien Favre, a coach he has worked with since 2019. Perhaps Reyna will be better off finding his feet at Dortmund. However, resisting Real Madrid might not be the easiest thing to do for a young player.
One person who will certainly advise the teenager to stay at Dortmund is his father, Claudio Reyna, who enjoyed a lot of success at Germany during his playing career in the Bundesliga. The teenager could always move to a bigger club after he gathers a little more experience