Reyna was born in Sunderland, and his father Claudio played for the Black Cats between 2001 and 2003.
Gio Reyna, born in Sunderland and the son of former Black Cats player Claudio, is close to joining Serie A club Parma after negotiating personal terms, according to sources.
On Tuesday night, transfer source Fabrizio Romano tweeted: “Gio Reyna and Parma have reached an agreement on personal terms.” Club-to-club agreement is getting closer with Borussia Dortmund.” The 22-year-old is now registered to Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, but he spent part of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest, making nine Premier League games.
Now, it appears that Reyna is ready for a fresh start in Italy, as Parma prepares to return to the top flight following promotion. According to various sources, Borussia Dortmund are willing to let the American international leave this summer as they continue to reshape their roster. Reyna’s relationship to Sunderland offers a distinct narrative to the movie.
Born in the Northeast during his father’s time at the Stadium of Light in the early 2000s, the midfielder has since gone on to become one of the most promising young players in American football. The midfielder made nine Premier League appearances while on loan with Nottingham Forest in 2023-24.
Despite a stop-start few seasons marred by injuries and inconsistency, Reyna still has a strong pedigree both on and off the field. His upcoming transfer to Parma could be an opportunity to relaunch his career in one of Europe’s most storied divisions. Last season, Reyna appeared in 25 games across all competitions for Dortmund, but just 15 in the Bundesliga.
Who is Gio Reyna?
Giovanni Reyna is the son of Claudio Reyna, a former Sunderland, Rangers, and Manchester City midfielder, and Danielle Reyna, who is a former United States women’s international. Gio was born in Sunderland in 2002 and relocated to the United States at the age of five. He joined the New York City FC program in 2015 before moving to Borussia Dortmund in 2019.
He made his professional debut at the age of 17 and became the youngest goal scorer in DFB-Pokal history during the 2019-20 season. He’s made 105 Bundesliga games with Dortmund, scoring 15 goals, and has also competed in the Champions League and domestic cups.
Reyna has 32 caps for the United States, scoring eight goals, and was named U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year in 2020. He was a member of the USMNT team that won the CONCACAF Nations League in 2021, 2023, and 2024, and was named Player of the Tournament earlier this year. Reyna is noted for his technical ability, versatility in offensive midfield areas, and creative vision, all of which Parma will want to capitalize on as they strive to maintain their Serie A status.
Leave a Reply