Reyna, Scally, Pepi, Che and Paredes: 5 Americans to watch in 2022/23

Gio Reyna

Age: 19

Position: Attacking midfielder

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Following an injury-filled season he will be keen to lock up and consign to the past, Reyna is ready to attack 2022/23 with all the energy of a raging bull. The USMNT attacking midfielder has plenty of targets to hit in the forthcoming campaign, not least ensuring he makes it into Gregg Berhalter's squad for this winter's FIFA World Cup in Qatar. A fresh slate for Reyna will also mean playing under recently appointed BVB coach Edin Terzic, the man under whom the 19-year-old won the 2020/2021 DFB Cup.

During that season, Reyna scored seven times and provided eight assists in 46 games across all competitions, and it is those numbers the young American will be aiming for again, as soon as his recent hamstring woes are behind him. All set to play an integral role within what will likely be one of the Bundesliga's most exciting attacks, the one time New York City FC academy player will revel in the possibilities of what partnering Marco Reus, Julian Brandt and new arrival Karim Adeyemi might produce. Greatness awaits.

Joe Scally

Age: 19

Position: Full-back

Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach

Scally was one of the stand-out players in what was a trying campaign for Gladbach last season, but hopes are high for last season's 10th-place finishers after new coach Daniel Farke took up the reins at the club. The 45-year-old will like what he sees in the versatile Scally, who covered four positions while racking up 33 appearances, a goal and two assists in all competitions lat term. Highlights included a 90 minute showing in the opening day 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich, while Scally was involved again in Die Fohlen's season highlight - a 5-0 thumping of Bayern in the DFB Cup.

About the players 40

Kevin Alexander

Paredes

VfL Wolfsburg

7

Giovanni Alejandro

Reyna

Borussia Dortmund

18

Ricardo Daniel

Pepi

FC Augsburg

24

Justin Isiah

Che

TSG Hoffenheim

29

Joseph Michael

Scally

Borussia M'gladbach

The New York City FC product recently made his senior USMNT debut in a friendly against Morocco and he followed that by playing the entirety of his nation's scoreless draw against Uruguay on 5 June. The dream will be to make it to the FIFA World Cup finals - where the States begin their campaign against Wales on 21 November - but prior to that, Scally will need to continue to impress at Gladbach in what will be his second full season with the senior squad.

Ricardo Pepi

Age: 19

Position: Forward

Club: Augsburg

"If you're prepared for it, if you expect it, then it's going to come." Ricardo Pepi is one who likes to visualise success in anticipation of achieving it. Indeed, the former MLS young player of the year will undoubtedly be imagining 2022/23 as his breakout season in the Bundesliga having laid the groundwork in the second half of last season after he agreed to move to Bavaria from FC Dallas.

The El Paso native - already 11 times a senior USMNT international - clocked up 475 minutes during 11 Bundesliga games as Augsburg staved off relegation. While having been involved in 16 of FC Dallas's 47 goals in 2021, Pepi awaits his first German top-flight goal, but those who know the exciting striker will vouch that he will soon be finding the back of the net on the regular.

"What I really like [about Ricardo] is that he has this instinct, and it's really hard to teach that to players," USMNT boss Berhalter said previously of the striker. Pepi will be working hard to improve on his eight shots at goal for Augsburg to date but, having covered almost 40 miles upon Bundesliga pitches across Germany in his brief time in the country to date, Pepi has shown a willingness to work hard and wait for his opportunity. That looks certain to come in the new season.

Justin Che

Age: 18

Position: Defender

Club: Hoffenheim

Another of the young Americans with a new coach to impress, young defender Justin Che will have been delighted to hear incoming tactician Andre Breitenreiter describing the Sinsheimers as a "courageous, flexible and energetic" club. The very same adjectives could easily sum up Che, who with 12 months remaining on his loan deal at Hoffenheim has every reason to step up and add to the two Bundesliga appearances he earned under previous boss Sebastian Hoeneß last year.

The Texan's defensive versatility is just one of the many assets he possesses that will stand to him in the upcoming season, when Hoffenheim's goal will be to get back among the European places having ended 2021/22 in ninth. A one-time Bayern Munich loanee, Che is another to have emerged from the FC Dallas academy, while US coach Berhalter has spoken out about the 6'1" defender as someone with "incredible potential."

The 18-year-old was once called into the USMNT squad for a senior friendly and, although he didn't make it onto the pitch that May day against Switzerland, the U20 international will be desperate to do so on a regular basis for Hoffenheim during what promises to be a season with plenty to fight for. "Football's in my blood. I love this sport and I work hard for it," Che once said.

Kevin Paredes

Age: 19

Position: Full-back/winger

Club: Wolfsburg

How will versatile left-sided player Kevin Paredes be visualising his first full season as a Wolfsburg player? Increased game time under newly-landed coach Niko Kovac will certainly be a goal for the U.S. youth international, who enjoyed his first minutes in the Bundesliga with appearances against Arminia Bielefeld and Mainz during his maiden half campaign in Germany. Competition for places will be fierce for the 19-year-old, who is as equally adept at playing wide on the left as he is at full-back, a position USMNT boss Berhalter told the teen he was keeping in mind for.

Describing his first minutes in Germany's top division in April as "a dream come true," Paredes would be fulfilling one more ambition should he line up opposite Canadian sensation and Bayern Munich star, Alphonso Davies, at some point in the forthcoming coming season. The Virginia native has previously admitted to being hugely inspired by the four-time Bundesliga winner and 2019/20 UEFA Champions League victor, to the point he modelled his young career on the Bayern favourite. The prospects for Paredes among the Wolves in 2022/23 are spine-tingling.

About the clubs VfL Wolfsburg

Volkswagen Arena

TSG Hoffenheim

PreZero Arena

FC Augsburg

WWK ARENA

Borussia Dortmund

SIGNAL IDUNA PARK

Borussia M'gladbach

BORUSSIA-PARK

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