Gio Reyna: USMNT star had January transfer RUINED by American owner

Tom Weber

• Updated: 3 Mar 2025 10:18 CST
• 3 min read

Borussia Dortmund attacker Gio Reyna was on the verge of a January transfer to RB Leipzig, but the move collapsed due to American Lyon owner John Textor, according to German media.

The United States Men's National Team star continues to struggle at Borussia Dortmund. Reyna has never managed to live up to his potential and he has been unable to make the most of the recent opportunities afforded him by new coach Niko Kovac.

Reyna has long been overdue to leave Dortmund yet a permanent transfer never seems to materialise. It was expected that he would leave the Bundesliga giants last summer after returning from a hugely underwhelming loan spell at Nottingham Forest, but nothing came of it.

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He stayed put and has once more struggled for regular minutes. The 22-year-old has played just a little over 500 minutes this season and he remains unable to attain anything more than a peripheral role despite Dortmund's dire campaign to date.

Textor ruined January move

Now, it has been revealed that Reyna was on the verge of leaving Dortmund in January. The Leipziger Volkszeitung reports that RB Leipzig had reached a full agreement to loan the American until the end of the season after offloading Eljif Elmas to Torino.

However, Dortmund ultimately felt compelled to pull the plug on the transfer due to their failure to secure the signing of Rayan Cherki from Olympique Lyon.

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Despite a verbal agreement allowing Cherki to leave Lyon for €22.5 million, American owner John Textor refused to sanction the move, claiming that Dortmund had been 'disrespectful' in their approach for the attacking midfielder.

It meant that Reyna was condemned to remain at Dortmund and languish on the bench. At Leipzig, he would have been reunited with his former BVB coach Marco Rose, who is now facing the sack after only winning one of his previous eight Bundesliga games.