Borussia Dortmund coach Marco Rose has expressed his concern over Giovanni Reyna's fitness, admitting the winger has "lost something over time" while setting a possible return date for the United States international.
Reyna has only played three games for Dortmund in 2021-22 having been sidelined since picking up a hamstring problem while away on World Cup qualifying duty in September.
The 19-year-old was initially touted to get back for the trip to Eintracht Frankfurt on January 8 but ended up being omitted from Rose's squad before also sitting out their 5-1 win at Freiburg at the weekend.
What has been said?
Rose has suggested he also won't be taking any risks on Reyna for Dortmund's DFB-Pokal round of 16 tie against St Pauli on Tuesday, or their next Bundesliga outing against Hoffenheim on January 22.
The international break begins after the Hoffenheim game, but it is not yet known whether Reyna will be selected by USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter for the next set of World Cup qualifiers.
Rose is hopeful the teenage midfielder can use the break to get back to full fitness, and told his latest press conference: "Gio Reyna is on the right track overall, but of course, he has lost something over time.
"We have to get him playable and fit to play. Without wanting to promise too much, let's aim for the break after TSG v BVB to get him fully fit again."
Reyna's career
Reyna broke into Dortmund's first-team squad in January 2020 and has since racked up 69 appearances for the club in all competitions.
The United States star contributed seven goals and eight assists to the cause last season and found the net twice in his three appearances at the start of this campaign, only for injury to halt his momentum.
Reyna has also scored four goals in nine games for the USMNT, but has been absent from Berhalter's squad for their last seven World Cup qualifiers.