Former United States striker Eric Wynalda says Gio Reyna returning to Major League Soccer would be a disaster for the national team due to the lack of hard-nosed competition domestically.
Reyna’s future at Borussia Dortmund is uncertain after another injury-plagued season that restricted him to just 341 minutes in the Bundesliga.
A move to Italian side Parma has failed to materialise, prompting suggestions he could return to the US and play for LAFC.
That, according to Wynalda, would render him less of a threat for a USMNT that desperately needs the 22-year-old to regain his mojo ahead of next summer’s World Cup finals.
History tells us playing in MLS dulls competitive edge – Wynalda
Speaking on Unleashed with Eric Wynalda, he said: “I worry about Gio Reyna. I don’t think coming back to LAFC and playing for Steve Cherundolo is going to help.”
Wynalda points to the fact MLS have tried bringing back US internationals before and it led to a drop off in performance, adding: “Let’s remember the idea of bringing Michael Bradley home with Jozy Altidore for Toronto.
“They also brought Clint Dempsey back to play for Seattle. They paid him $6 million a year! That was 2014.
“After three years in the league, what happened to our national team? We didn’t f***ing qualify, and you can’t put it together?
“Michael Bradley, Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore can’t figure out a way to qualify against Trinidad? With Christian Pulisic trying to pick up the scraps and make something happen at a young age?
“This is what happens when you come back and you are preparing for a World Cup and you’re playing in MLS. This is what you get. You’re not going to be competitive in a World Cup environment. End of story. This is not an opinion. This is factual.”
Wynalda slates ‘boring’ Cherundolo
LAFC have also been linked with a move for Tottenham captain Son Heung-min but Wynalda is not confident Cherundolo can get the best out of a player.
“Cherundolo is someone I’ve known for a long time. He’s boring. He hates the media. He’s not going to inspire anybody to do anything prior to a World Cup,” Wynalda said.
“Sorry if that hurts your feelings, but he’s not the answer. He wouldn’t be the answer as the national team coach either, and he’s probably on his way back to Germany.”
