If he can stay healthy, they'll 100% regret the handling of him since late last winter. Otoh, they made a ton of money on other transfers so maybe seeing his transfer value drop from around 45-50 mill to currently 10-15 may not bother them too much, but you can't restore value when you refuse to play the player. He's shown with the USMNT that he's 100% back, but with Dortmund they don't appear interested (maybe it's defensive effort mixed with his worst performances coming in his starts?) in giving him enough starts to establish a rhythm. As such when he moves this winter or this coming summer they're gonna get at most, 10-25% of his pre-injury in '21 value much like Chelsea, and I have little doubt he'll go back to producing in a new environment (especially if it isn't England) as long as he can stay healthy. Chelsea did the same stupidity with Pulisic, and you saw how that worked out for them, I sense the same with Dortmund, except Dortmund can still play CL soccer, while Chelsea just sucks.
I should add, I tend to wonder if they're basically not playing him even as a sub because they want him to be healthy for a loan or a sale this winter? Wouldn't be the first time a team kept a player out of the starting lineup before a "trade/transfer". Just speculative thought, but it's pretty weird. He's shown in sub appearances, and in international windows, he's "back,". They either don't care, or they've agreed to move on in a few weeks and don't want to risk an injury?
I am a bit bummed that BVB are playing a team like Stuttgart in the Pokal this Wed instead of a lower tier team like Hamburger or Paderborn. Because if they were playing a weaker team and they still didn't play Gio then we would basically know the answer to your question. But Stuttgart are ahead of BVB in the BL and BVB takes the Pokal seriously... so I think they still run out one of their "strongest" lineups.
It’s not about the situation. Dortmund is a place where young players grow, and Gio has seen many of them outgrow him over the same period of time. It’s about growth with Gio. He is going to have to develop his game to where he is multifaceted and more disciplined.
It will never be a popular take, but I think that it’s clear that he’s just not good enough right now. I don’t know how anyone can watch his performances since Qatar and say that Gio Reyna has beaten anyone out for a spot…either on Dortmund or his national team.
Earlier upthread the word languid was used. That is very difficult to accept out of a player not recognized as all world anywhere other than Big Soccer. He may have the most cultured foot of any American player ever, but he often appears to lack work rate which many managers may find unpalatable, except when desperate and they start throwing shite against the wall hoping it sticks. To my eye he often kind of wanders around the field like his name is Leo or Ibra or some such. He would do well to take a page out of CP's book and start adding high work rate and a bit of defense to his game. I mean it has worked out pretty good for CP and he has had a few very valuable defensive contributions while making himself almost guaranteed to be starting unless he is approaching his minutes number. I am concerned about the young man's ceiling because BVB usually gets the most out of their talent, and they aren't getting much out of him. Is it him or BVB? I suppose we will have to see at his next stop. Without a change of managers though Gio needs to leave ASAP as it is clear the gaffer doesn't rate him. This entire post assumes he is healthy and has no lingering injury issues.
It has nothing to do with growth. He's was hurt for the bulk of two years. You can't "grow" when you can't play. If he was good enough to play as a 17/18 year old, he absolutely is now. The problem is they moved on w/o him and learned how to win and play without his particular style of play and they've also changed coaches since he was a regular on top of that. They've moved on w/o him, it aint growth, it's injury. Its not like these guys are more talented, they aren't, but they've been plugged into this coaches system, and Reyna hasn't.
i think its definitely something off the field, as well perhaps has something to do with him signing or not signing a contract extension
Is this the national team that hasn’t lost while he’s been on the field and has lost when he isn’t? People’s current perception of Gio is based on Edin Terzic. Talk about languid (thinking).
Matchday-squad:Kobel, Meyer - Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Papadopoulos, Blank, Bensebaini, Wolf, Ryerson, Meunier, Can, Sabitzer, Özcan, Reus, Brandt, Bynoe-Gittens, Adeyemi, Malen, Füllkrug, Moukoko🗞 @RNBVB #BVB— BVB Newsblog (@bvbnewsblog) December 6, 2023 Not in the squad today for a cup matchup vs. Stuttgart
I think the issue at Dortmund (atleast under Terzic) is it feels like they currently don't feel the positives Gio could bring to a team don't outweigh what others bring unless Dortmund is specifically chasing a goal. While I think Gio absolutely can defend and move off ball (and has shown it) I don't know if he's shown a willingness to do it consistently... and at a place like Dortmund you won't have the leash to work through perceived issues. Again that's not saying Gio is a bad player, far from it, but I think at this point he needs a move to a place where he knows he's gonna get minutes and be able to work through any issues (whether real or not) he is perceived to have
His minutes since the injury recovery invite speculation. The speculation that he is being protected from injury for a January loan or deal seems more plausible every day.
I’m struggling to see why a player who produced goals like this: and this goal (probably my favorite of his, more so than his other bangers): https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxjEPpVrYyKQxmmfWHNGUbjBbY4A-rF-66?si=Rq9RTmbdU5S6mes8 …is not good enough for BvB. But hey, I have some bias I imagine.
A few semi reliable sources like Edgar Moreno have also said Ajax does have interest in Gio for a loan The thing to remember with a club like Dortmund is thanks to their scouting they will always have young studs ready to step up. When someone loses playing time it's playing time it's usually one of 3 things 1)They aren't doing something the manager wants 2) They had a falling out with the manager or 3)The manager doesn't want to mess up chemistry. I haven't heard anything negative about Gio from Dortmund so I'd rule out 2. So I'm guessing a combo of 1 and 3
It seems to me that BVB has had their fair share of contract issues that affect playing time. Muenier, Guerrero, Akanji, Haaland and Hazard all come to mind, The most probable reason is Terzic and his preferences, though, as Moukoko re-signed and still never sees the field.
I'm tired of this situation. Just move on, loan or whatever. It's obvious BVB have no interest in trying to rehab his value, it's a stupid, short sighted decision imo, but one they've clearly decided on.
Looks like BvB is about to get knocked out of the cup competition, which is really going to eat at Gio’s already minimal chances of playing time even more. a January loan gets more and more appealing for our guy by the day.