My dad was a Man City cult hero, now I’m on the verge of completing transfer to Premier League rival

GIO REYNA is closing in on a Premier League switch that would see him emulate his father in moving to England.

The American, 21, burst onto the scene at Borussia Dortmund aged just 17, but has seen his playing time diminish this season.

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Gio Reyna has been out of favour at Borussia Dortmund[/caption]

Gio’s father Claudio Reyna starred for Man City in the PremNews Group Newspapers Ltd

Reyna has attracted plenty of interest, including from Prem side Nottingham Forest.

Nuno Espirito Santo‘s team are claimed to have agreed a deal to sign the 24-cap starlet on loan until the end of the season.

It’s understood that the move could include an option to buy for around £12.5million.

According to ESPN, Forest are facing stiff competition from Marseille for Reyna’s signature.

It’s claimed that the Ligue 1 side have also agreed terms with Dortmund, and that it’ll now be up to the player and his entourage.

Two mystery clubs are also believed to be in the running to sign Reyna.

The winger’s representatives include super-agent Jorge Mendes and famous father, Claudio Reyna.

A former Manchester City and Sunderland cult hero, the elder Reyna enjoyed over five years in the Premier League.

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Gio Reyna poses with father Claudio and mother Danielle

He played over 100 times in the Prem between 2001 and 2007, as well as 112 times for his country.

Reyna, now 50, left Man City for family reasons in January 2007, with boss Stuart Pearce saying at the time: “We are speaking with his representatives about the termination of his contract.

“It is to do with family reasons, nothing sinister. I can understand the reasons he gave to me.

“He believes his family has to come before his professional career at this stage. It is a case of working out a deal agreeable to player and club.”

Gio is named after dad Claudio’s former Rangers team-mate Giovanni van Bronkhorst.

And his mother Danielle, 50, was also a footballer, earning six caps for the US in the 1990s.

Gio has never been short of confidence, even admitting last year that he’s always believed that he’s better than his old man.

He told The American Dream podcast: “Soccer is in my family’s blood, so it was always going to be soccer.

“It wasn’t forced in any way… to be completely honest, growing up I always thought I was better than him.

“Like, in a respectful way, and I even used to tell him that when I was like, five or six.

“My grandpa used to tell me the same thing, but I more thought it was cool that he was known and… at the youth development academy tournaments, people would ask for pictures and I took it as a positive – like I have so much to learn from and the guys on my team obviously really respected him.”

A transfer away from Borussia Dortmund appears to be the correct course of action to get Reyna’s exciting young career back on track.

Impressively he has already played 120 times for the German giants aged just 21.

His progress has stalled this term, however, as he has started just once in the Bundesliga.

Claudio, meanwhile, now works as a technical advisor for MLS side Austin FC.

He previously held a similar position at New York City FC between 2013 and 2019.