The two former USMNT stars are skeptical about reports linking the American with a move to LAFC, and the potential fit
Say reports indicate limited European opportunitiesDavies questions compatibility between Reyna and LAFCLalas believes it could work out if Reyna puts in the workGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
U.S. international Giovanni Reyna is drawing interest from several clubs, with LAFC reportedly emerging as the one of the clubs to sign the 22-year-old this summer. After being told he can leave Borussia Dortmund, Reyna appears to be exploring a return to MLS.
Former USMNT goalkeeper Tony Meola believes such a move would suggest Reyna may have run out of viable European options.
“Well, it shows a lot of things, right? That he can’t find a spot in Europe or someone says, Hhey, you’re a starter here’.” Meola said on the Golazo America podcast. “Will he play? I’m sure he will. I’m sure if he comes back to MLS, that’s going to be a real discussion with whoever the manager is… But Gio needs to play, period. If you can’t find anything in Europe, you’ve got to come back. I would prefer that he doesn’t come back, that he finds a home that says, ‘Yeah, you’re our guy, you’re gonna play here’. But I gotta imagine, they’re exhausting everything in Europe right now.
“They’re trying to find a place and a home for him in Europe, and it’s maybe telling right? Or it is telling if he can’t find a place at the moment.”
Former U.S. international Charlie Davies highlighting the philosophical disconnect between Reyna's possession-based style and LAFC's more direct approach.
"I don’t see him as a winger in that team," Davies said on the podcast. "[Denis] Bounaga is the main man, so you’re playing him into space, playing to his feet and it’s go, go go transition. And that’s not Gio Reyna’s game. If you’re talking about a possession-based team, that’s not their style. This isn’t a team that likes to keep the ball and slow the game down, where Gio Reyna can operate and get a lot of touches."
Under the current setup, Davies doesn't believe Reyna should consider LAFC.
"If he comes to the MLS," he said, "that’s telling that there’s not an Eredivisie club outside of PSV that are saying ‘Hey, we’d love Gio to come in and be our playmaker.' We keep the ball, we see him thriving, and even a Como for instance. If these clubs aren’t coming in for him and you’re forced to go back to MLS cause you need the guaranteed playing time, I wouldn’t necessarily choose LAFC. If you have the option to pick a club in MLS, that’s not the club I’m going to based on the style of play."
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USMNT legend Alexi Lalas suggested that such a move could benefit both player and league if properly executed.
“This is amazing and fascinating because look, I don't know how many shows and how many hours over the last years we've spent talking about Gio Reyna," Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. "And it's because of his talent, undeniable talent. But talent can only get you so far. Mauricio Pochettino has made it very, very clear….He just cares that you are playing soccer and then he will evaluate you from there.
“And Gio has not played a whole lot of soccer. So it remains to be seen, if Gio comes back and is able to resurrect his career by using MLS. I'm hoping that that's what happens. I'm not sure because if there have been problems, whether it's bad habits, a bad ethic, work ethic, or whatever it ends up being. Those suddenly don't just get left when you land at LAX."
However, the analyst referenced Landon Donovan's successful MLS career as a potential blueprint for Reyna.
“MLS has its own unique set of challenges,” Lalas said. “But who knows, maybe this is a different time in his life. He's still very young, but maybe this is a Landon Donovan-esque type of move where he finds a place here in the United States and here with LAFC where he is comfortable and he is home…And so who knows, maybe he comes back, and this is where he finds the best version of himself. It worked out for Landon Donovan. The dude's got a statue, all right?”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Reyna's potential return to MLS represents a critical juncture in his once-promising European career. After emerging as one of American soccer's brightest talents at Dortmund, injuries and competition for playing time have significantly hindered his development trajectory.
Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?
Reyna must weigh his limited options as the summer transfer window progresses, with priority on securing a situation that provides regular first-team minutes ahead of the 2026 World Cup.