NOTTINGHAM, England – Matt Turner said Giovanni Reyna has matured since the 2022 World Cup, when his new Nottingham Forest teammate's emotional reaction to not being named the Americans' starter led USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter to almost send him home from the tournament.
“He's grown so much before my eyes,” Turner, the US No. 1, told ESPN on Monday, praising Reyna about a week after the winger joined Forest for the rest of the season on loan from Borussia Dortmund. .
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In Qatar, Reyna did not respond well when Berhalter informed him before the United States' first game that he would not start; Reyna later admitted that he was “devastated” and let his feelings affect his “training and behavior” for several days.
However, since that ugly moment (and its prolonged aftermath), Reyna has tried to refocus on her priorities, and Turner said that kind of new perspective was immediately obvious once Reyna arrived at Forest's training center after his loan from Borussia Dortmund. .
“The best compliment I can give him is that I now see a consistent approach for him every day,” Turner said. “He wants to have the ball and he wants to make an impact on the game with the ball at his feet. I can see him as a really strong asset.”
Turner had heard rumors about the possibility of Reyna coming to Nottingham, but his American teammate was coy when Turner texted him about the possibility. Now that the 21-year-old winger is here, Turner is happy to have a fellow American around, especially since backup goalkeeper Ethan Horvath recently departed Championship side Cardiff City.
More importantly, he envisions Reyna playing a key role as Forest fight to maintain their place in the Premier League, with the team currently in 16th place with 21 points from 23 games.
“Our coach's message has been to play a little more, and Gio is that type of player,” Turner said. “Once he establishes a better connection with some players and becomes more familiar with their movements and how they want the ball, I can see him being a really strong asset.”
