Gio Reyna has had limited game time since being loaned to the Premier League and was left out of the squad for this weekend's game against Liverpool.
The USMNT youth player was loaned to Nottingham Forest after struggling to get playing time at Borussia Dortmund.
Reina's time in Dortmund
Reina moved to Germany in 2019.
Enrolled through the club's academy system. Reina's time at Dortmund is often overlooked, considering he made his professional debut at just 17 years old.
However, the club failed to recognize his potential as an integral part of the current squad. There are many ways to find out what happened to Reina in Dortmund.
But one possible response is to consider a long-term injury layoff for him.
His biggest absence was in September 2021, when he missed a total of 22 games. Additionally, an injury to his foot last summer delayed his start to this season. Due to these cuts, Reyna hasn't been able to get the playing time he needs to gain momentum.
Another reason to leave Germany
In addition to enduring injuries, Reyna had to overcome stiff competition to earn a starting spot. Julian Brandt and Marco Reus both play frequently, making it difficult for Reina to get consistent playing time.
For this reason, Edin Terzic tried to play Reina in a wider range of roles. However, he didn't always show the same exact accuracy with the ball.
This role was not satisfactory for the player, and Terzic's determination to play there forced him to start again at another club in order to get more playing time.
Why did Gio Reyna miss the match against Liverpool?
However, that is not the case yet.
At the end of January, the American midfielder completed a loan move to Premier League club Nottingham Forest. The move will give Reina more playing time, but it will also expose the 21-year-old to major challenges.
The American international has had the worst start to his Premier League career since joining the relegation-threatened club on loan from Borussia Dortmund in January. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has yet to give him his first start.
Given his lack of Premier League experience, the FA Cup seemed the ideal venue to give the American a fair chance. That wasn't the case.
In fact, Forest, chasing victory, threw him into the game immediately after United scored and gave him little time to make an impact.
This once again showed how disastrous this financing decision was. So far, Reina has found it much harder to get playing time at Forest than at Dortmund, making his time there pointless.
In a further twist to the story, the midfielder was not included in Nottingham Forest's squad for Saturday's crucial Premier League game against Liverpool.
The player was reportedly removed from the team due to his knock. They decided that the attacking midfielder was not fit to play against the Reds after making a brief cameo in the previous match. But he should be back in training next week.
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