Without Nottingham Forest attempting to finalize an absolutely insane loan agreement for a player who, historically, they should have no business signing at all, would it even be the winter transfer window? They signed veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas last year, apparently just for fun, and it looks like they are getting closer to signing midfielder Giovanni Reyna of Borussia Dortmund. This is happening in the
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that as of this Wednesday morning, Forest and Dortmund have scheduled a second round of talks, and both parties are keen to iron out the specifics of some financial thorns, such as loan fees and salary coverage. Regarding the player, it is stated that Reyna has “already accepted” Nottingham as his next stop, which, when taken in a certain context, feels distinctly fatalistic.
However, if and when a deal is finalized, it may result in a mutually advantageous agreement that benefits the player and the club. Reyna, who is 21 years old, is a gifted young man with an almost unbelievable amount of experience. The USA international, who has already earned 24 senior caps, is the son of former midfielder Claudio Reyna of Sunderland and Manchester City. He has participated in some of the most prominent competitions in Europe, including the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
Reyna is incredibly talented when he has the ball at his feet. He can play as an advanced midfielder or out on either flank. A talented dribbler, he gets fouled frequently—much like when someone ties a newspaper to a bothersome fly—and he doesn’t mind the occasional long shot or subsequent screamer. When you add in a skill for precise, well-timed passing, Reyna’s artistic appeal becomes evident.
Nevertheless, he is having difficulty getting into games in Dortmund. He has played just 337 minutes of football for the first team in 13 games across all competitions this season. That simply isn’t good enough for a player with his age and apparent potential. Therefore, something has to change, and in order to achieve that, Forest must be a little surprised that they are in the lead group vying for the American’s
It speaks volumes about the allure of the English top flight that a club in their position, just four points clear of the Premier League relegation zone, is serious about signing a gem of Reyna’s caliber. It must also make several clubs around them regret not thinking to test the waters with a bid of their own. Consider teams like Wolves, Brentford, Bournemouth, or Fulham. In fact, glancing even higher up the table, Reyna seems like the ideal addition to Roberto de Zerbi’s incredibly talented but slender Brighton
In the end, though, it appears that Reyna has a better chance of landing at Forest than any other place. Though there are still kinks to work out and mountains of paperwork to peruse, all the indications point to things moving along precisely as they should. And once more, determining their coordinates for the City Ground might be the most unexpected arrival of a January transfer window.
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