Brad Friedel has tipped compatriot and Borussia Dortmund sensation Giovanni Reyna to secure a transfer to Real Madrid in the future.
Speaking to Betway US, as relayed by GOAL, former Tottenham Hotspur and USMNT goalkeeper Brad Friedel has tipped Borussia Dortmund prodigy, Giovanni Reyna, to join Real Madrid in the future.
Reyna has been with Borussia Dortmund since 2019 when he arrived from the New York City FC academy. Having broken into the senior team in early 2020, the 19-year-old has made 69 appearances, scoring ten goals and registering 11 assists. The teenage attacking midfielder has made quite an impression with the United States Men’s National Team as well, netting four goals in nine matches.
A youngster with plenty of potential, Reyna is tipped for a bright future in the game. And Friedel rates the 19-year-old very highly, stating that the Dortmund star can achieve greatness if he stays fit.
“He can be whatever he wants to be. His dad [Claudio] was one helluva player. He needs to stay fit also. He has had some issues. But he has done remarkably well. Basically from the first moment that he went over he has done well and gone from strength to strength,” the former Tottenham shot-stopper said.
There have been links with a move to Real Madrid in the past, which have continued to grow with time. And Friedel believes that Reyna has what it takes to succeed at Santiago Bernabeu. The former USMNT star compared the 19-year-old with his ex-Tottenham teammate Luka Modric, insisting that the youngster was a much different player to the Croatian international, but backed him to move to Madrid in the future.
“They are different. Gio would need to play a lot more games to control the tempo of a game like Luka Modric. They are different players. Luka is one of the special midfielders that can play six, eight or 10. He can control a whole game with his passing – speed it up, slow it down and it doesn’t even look like he’s running. That is something not taught, not coached, it’s just in his footballing brain,” he said.
“There are many more games that Gio will need to play in order to be there, but could he play at one of the big clubs? Could he play at Real Madrid one day? Yes. I think he has that quality.”
The 19-year-old, who took over the #7 jersey at Dortmund last summer after the departure of Jadon Sancho, clearly has shown great promise. And only time will tell whether he ends up securing a move to Real Madrid in the future.