Why isn’t Gio Reyna playing for Nottingham Forest against Chelsea in the Premier League?

There were high hopes that a loan move to the Premier League could help get Gio Reyna’s season - and career - back on track after he lost his place in the Borussia Dortmund team. However, things haven’t quite worked out at Nottingham Forest for the USMNT star, who isn’t in the matchday squad for Saturday’s home game against Chelsea.

No reports of injury or illness for Reyna

Reyna doesn’t feature in Nuno Espírito Santo’s starting lineup or bench, although there have been no reports of him suffering from injury or illness. The 21-year-old was an unused substitute in the win away to Sheffield United last weekend, with his most recent appearance coming in the latter stages of the home loss to Manchester City in Forest’s previous Premier League game.

Sadly for Reyna, it appears as if he may simply have not been selected for the fixture, not for the first time this season. He was previously left out of defeats to Liverpool and Brighton at the beginning of March, although he did later feature in six consecutive matches, starting twice and bagging one assist.

He has been named in the squad for 12 of Forest’s 15 league games since he joined in the January transfer window, but has only started on those two occasions.

Reyna’s spell at Dortmund disrupted by injuries

Rated one of the most promising American players of all time, Reyna’s career has been seriously disrupted by injuries in recent seasons and his form has suffered as a result.

A regular in the Dortmund team in 2020/21, he missed the majority of the following campaign due to fitness issues and started only four Bundesliga fixtures last season despite being fit for most of it.

Reyna was loaned out by the Champions League finalists after starting just one league game and making only two UCL appearances off the bench in the first half of the season.